


After All These Years

by selimausx3



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-04-08 09:56:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 131,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14102886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/selimausx3/pseuds/selimausx3
Summary: After Beca's performance at the USO tour, the Bellas have separated. Chloe hasn't spoken to any of them for 5 years. She lives in New York and works as a vet. Her comfortable life gets turned upside down however when she receives an invite for a reunion. She longs to see the Bellas again, but one Bella in particular makes her have second thoughts. Will her and Beca reconcile?





	1. The reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, Seli here! I'm the co-writer along with Britt/scrappylilgay. You might know this fic from fanfiction dot net, but we decided to bring it here too. So enjoy reading it on your preferred fanfiction site! (;

_ Buzz. Buzz.  _ Chloe’s head whipped up as she heard the buzzing of her phone. The small tabby cat she was treating took his chance and jumped off the counter, hiding in a corner. She groaned and walked over to her desk, grabbing her phone. The screen was lit up with a text from Emily. The redhead’s eyes widened. She hadn’t talked to the brunette in months. She unlocked her phone and opened the text. 

_ “Hey Chloe! This is your official invite for our Bella reunion! Next spring break, at Barden. You in? X Em.”.  _

Chloe stared at her phone, her mind working overtime. A reunion….after nearly 5 years of no contact? She dropped her phone back on her desk, huffing. It would be nice to see everyone again. Especially Aubrey. The redhead really missed her blonde best friend, who now lived in LA with Jesse. But then there was also one person she didn’t want to see again. Ever.  _ Beca Mitchell.  _

 

Beca let out a frustrated sigh. Taylor Swift was getting on her nerves. No matter what the brunette did, the blonde was never satisfied. Either there was a beat missing or it went too slow or too fast. So when Beca’s phone buzzed, she thankfully picked it up. 

_ “Hey Beca! This is your official invite for our Bella reunion! Next spring break, at Barden. You in? X Em.”  _

The girl furrowed her brows. She should be free during that time. Khaled was going on vacation and gave everybody off. However, she felt bad. She lost touch with some of the Bellas pretty quickly after the USO tour. She sometimes still talked to Cynthia Rose with whom she had created some collabs. But that was it. This reunion could rekindle their relationships. She missed her family like crazy. 

Just as she was about to tell Emily that she was going to come she froze. Chloe would be there. A flash of hurt shot through her, along with images and feelings she buried 5 years ago. Was she ready to face the redhead? Everything inside her screamed at her that she wasn’t. The brunette shook her head and locked her phone. She’d reply later. First, she had to try another attempt to please Taylor.

 

Chloe had been trying to concentrate on her patients, but was struggling. She kept thinking about Beca, and what it would mean to her if she were to see the brunette again. She hadn’t spoken to her since that  _ one day _ . 

Nervously, Chloe grabbed her phone, typing out a message before deleting it again. “Come on, Chloe. She’s probably not even coming. Too busy with being famous.” She said to herself. She started typing again.  _ “Hey Emily! Long time no see! A reunion sounds very exciting. I will be there. X Chlo”.  _ The redhead took a deep breath and pressed the send button. Nervous butterflies filled her stomach when she turned back to her patient, a rather big fluffy cat who refused to eat cat food, instead he had made a habit of breaking into the owner’s pantry for food. The cat was sniffing her lunch bag, it’s paw moving towards it. “No!” Chloe yelled, grabbing the bag and putting it on a high counter. She grabbed a bag of diet cat food, sprawling it’s contents over the table. “This is food. It’s yummy!” She said, grabbing a piece and pretending to eat it. The cat looked at her with bored eyes, and started licking his paw. Chloe groaned, dropping the cat food on the floor frustratedly.

 

Later that day, after doing her final rounds, Chloe took off her scrubs and put them in her locker. She slipped on the engagement ring she kept in a small box in her locker and grabbed her coat. “See you tomorrow!” She said to her colleagues, who waved to her. The redhead put in her headphones, letting out a deep breath she didn’t realise she was holding when her music started playing. She felt the soft rain on her face as soon as she walked outside, and smiled. Her walk towards the subway took only 5 minutes, but it was her favorite moment of the day. Her bright blue eyes scanned the New York crowd. People of all races, sizes and personalities walked past her. The redhead felt like she could disappear inside the anonymity of the crowd, no one caring who she was and where she was going. It was one of the best feelings in the world to her. She sat on the subway in silence, checking her watch. Chicago should be home, and she really hoped he cooked her dinner this time. 

When she opened the door to their apartment, all the lights were off. The redhead sighed sadly. “I’m home.” She said into the empty, dark space. She dropped her bag on the table and shook off her coat. She wandered to the kitchen, turning on the lights as she went. On the fridge was a note from Chicago. “ _ Staying at Will’s tonight. Have fun _ .”. Chloe rolled her eyes. Right, _ fun.  _ She crumpled up the note and threw it in the trash. 

 

Beca had had it. No matter what she did, Taylor whined about every little thing. So, when the blonde was about to criticize another thing, she shot up. “I’m done for today.” She said coldly before storming out, ignoring Taylor who called her name. She stormed past Theo with a short “Bye” before walking into the elevator. She pressed the button for the garage and let out a huge frustrated sigh as the elevator door closed. “Stupid Taylor. Just accept the song and let us be done with it!” She huffed angrily. 

When the door opened, she walked out and got to her car. She drove home, her music blasting loudly through her car speakers. This always satisfied her. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes for a second when she arrived at a red light. Emily’s text message filled her mind again. She still had to decide if she wanted to come. 

She started driving again when the light turned green. It’d just be a little reunion. A day with the Bellas, maybe a stay at the hotel for the night and then she could disappear again. Hell, she could avoid talking to Chloe. She only had to ignore her and be really invested in the other girls’ lives. She could do that, right?

 

Chloe was curled up with a bowl of mac and cheese, flicking through Netflix to look for something she hadn’t yet seen. She couldn’t find anything interesting, so she changed to the Youtube. She scrolled through some of the pop hits, when a thought struck her. She got out the keyboard and typed in ‘ _ Beca Mitchell’.  _ She clicked the first result, which was a song uploaded about 2 years ago. It opened with a soft piano melody, and the moment Chloe heard Beca’s voice, she was captivated. Her eyes blurred with tears and she quickly shut off the TV, wiping her eyes. “Don’t listen to your ex-crush’s songs.” She said out loud, being angry at herself for being so weak. She took a deep breath and got up to do the dishes, trying to forget about the thoughts running through her head. 

 

Beca had ordered takeout and was currently watching the new season of her favorite show. She couldn’t really focus on it though. She sighed and got out her phone, staring at Emily’s message. She needed to make up her mind. The brunette really didn’t want to disappoint the Bellas by not coming. Knowing them, everybody would make time for the reunion. Just like they did 5 years ago. When Chloe received Emily’s text about the reunion she immediately cancelled her plans to go on vacation with some old highschool friends. Beca chuckled, shaking her head. She couldn’t avoid the redhead forever.

_ “I’m coming.” _ She simply replied and tossed her phone away, trying not to overthink it.

 

A few weeks later, Chloe was packing her bags for the Bellas reunion. Her thoughts had been running wild the past days. Emily had confirmed to her that all the Bellas were coming, including Beca. The redhead had wanted to cancel there and then, but somehow convinced herself to go. She needed to see the brunette, and if something went wrong she could always go home. “ _ But to what home?” _ She thought sarcastically. Back when her and Chicago had just moved in together, he would surprise her with dinners and dates. But lately, he was barely home to begin with. Eating at a friend, hanging out with colleagues or just doing anything to be  _ away _ from her. Chloe didn’t know why he ignored her or what went wrong in their relationship. When he was home, he was silent. A ghost. The redhead wanted to talk to him about it, but was afraid bringing it up would just ruin the very little time they would spend together. So she pursed her lips and endured the silence, hoping for a day when she could talk to him about it. 

She didn’t have a lot of friends in New York. The Bellas were here friends, and when they went their separate ways when Chloe moved out of Beca and Amy’s apartment to live with Chicago, something had changed. Chloe barely spoke to any of them. She missed them, so, so much. She didn’t really fit in at work and her colleagues tolerated her at best. 

The redhead was interrupted from her train of thoughts when she heard the front door open. “Chicago?” She shouted across the hallway. Not much later, his face whipped around the corner of their bedroom. 

“Hey” She said softly, looking him in the eye. Chicago nodded at her. 

“You’re packing for the Bellas trip?” he said, coming up behind her and hugging her close.

Chloe froze a little, as this was the first time he touched her like that in a very long, long while. “Y-Yeah. It’s kind of difficult. I have no idea how long it’s going to be. I might be back after one day.” She said, getting out of his grasp to grab the pile of t-shirts she had collected and dumping them in the suitcase. 

“I’ll drop you off at the airport.” Chicago said, and Chloe smiled at him thankfully. He left the room, and later she heard the TV blaring. She sat down on the bed, resting her head in her hands tiredly. She could still cancel. But she wanted to see the Bellas. She missed them.  _ All  _ of them. 

 

Beca paced up and down her bedroom. Her suitcase had been packed long ago. The apartment was spotless and clean. The fridge was freshly stocked, any item that would expire during the trip had been removed. She even took a long shower and gave herself a lengthy skin and hair spa treatment. But now that she had run out of things to do, her thoughts were catching up with her. She would see the Bellas again. In less than 6 hours she’d be sitting in their regular bar, chatting with the them, avoiding eye contact from a certain someone and probably drinking more than she should. Her nerves were skyrocketing and she didn’t know what to do to calm herself down. 

She had thought about asking Aubrey to come with her but she assumed that the blonde would probably already be on her way. Aubrey liked to be early to everything. Beca wondered if that was also the case in the bedroom but quickly pushed that thought away. She cringed and shook her head. 

Deciding she had nothing better to do, she grabbed her suitcase and her jacket and left her apartment. Time to start the trip to either one of her worst or greatest nights. That depended solely on the fact on how she would hit off with Chloe. Maybe their friendship could be restored. Because deep down, the brunette had missed the redhead.

 

Chicago was holding Chloe’s pale hand as they drove towards the airport. He knew that she was nervous to see them all again, although he probably didn’t know the actual reason why. “You will be fine, Chlo. And if something goes wrong, you can be on the next flight home and I’ll pick you up. “ He said, reassuringly. 

Chloe nodded weakly, looking outside at the afternoon sky with a set jaw. Emily had arranged for them to meet up in the karaoke bar they used to go to all the time when they were still at Barden. They were supposed to meet up at 7 pm, but Chloe wanted to make sure she was a little early so she could calm her nerves. 

When they arrived at the airport, Chicago enveloped the redhead in a big hug, rubbing her back. “Have fun!” He smiled as she waved at him on her way to check in. 

The plane ride was boring, and Chloe tried to read a book, but the letters danced in front of her eyes. She ended up just staring in front of her nervously, with big eyes. A few hours later, she arrived in Atlanta. She waited for her suitcase at the gate and hailed a cab outside of the airport. “To Barden, please.”


	2. Anxiety and feels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just gonna upload until chapter 12 for now so I'm caught up with fanfiction.net. For those who stumbled over the fic just now: Enjoy reading this fic with possibly the fastest update rate ever :D

When Chloe arrived at Barden, she was struck with an immediate sense of nostalgia. She paid for the cab and got out, her suitcase rolling behind her on the asphalt. Her eyes roamed the university grounds, the green grass with students scattered all around it, the dorms where she spent the first years of her college together with Aubrey, before they got into the Bellas house. Chloe continued walking until she stood in front of the big, cream coloured house with the blue B hammered on it. She closed her eyes as a rush of emotions flowed through her. She thought about knocking on the door, but she had no idea who the newest Bellas were or if they would even know who she was.  She stood in the shades of the trees, looking at the beautiful house where so many amazing memories took place. A smile played at her lips, as she realised she was glad to be back. 

 

Beca spent the plane ride sleeping. She figured it would just drive her crazy if she stayed up. So she swallowed some sleeping pills and slept soundlessly. When she arrived at the airport, she hailed a cab that brought her to the university she went to all those years ago. She chuckled. 11 years ago, a Beca Mitchell came to Barden that had a “Don’t talk to me” and “I don’t take anybody’s shit” attitude. She wore way too much eyeliner back then. And 3 years later she left together with friends who she cared deeply for, that changed her for the better and made her loosen up more. She wondered what freshman Beca would’ve said or done if somebody told her that that would happen. She would’ve probably rolled her eyes and laughed. The cab came to a halt and Beca paid the driver. She got out, grabbing her suitcase. She looked around. The campus didn’t look that much different. Beca smiled softly to herself. She went to the hotel that Amy had given them the address for and dropped off her bags.

 

Chloe had spent the last few hours sitting in the shade of the trees, studying the students walking from and into the student buildings. She hugged her knees as she sat down on the grass. She had put down her dark pink coat on the floor so her leather skirt wouldn’t get dirty. She enjoyed the slight breeze playing with her hair, and the warm comfort of the red beanie that kept her hair in place. With a smile, she closed her eyes. It was nearing 6 pm and she had to leave to go to the bar soon. The sun was setting and the redhead smiled at the pretty colours in the sky. It felt good to be back here. _ Familiar. _ New York was a great city, but it was very busy and  _ loud.  _ She was enjoying the silence, reminiscing about the past. Luckily, she realised, most of the memories were good, happy and warm ones. They had so much fun together and laughed so much. Chloe let out a long sigh, closing her eyes, wishing she could go back to those days. 

 

She was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard someone walking up to her. Her eyes flickered open and she saw a tall figure stand in front of her. 

“What are you doing, weirdo?” A voice asked. 

“Stacie!” The redhead screamed, getting to her feet and wrapping Stacie up in a tight hug. 

The tall girl giggled in Chloe’s ear. “Well, it seems that you’ve missed me. I mean, who wouldn’t?” 

Chloe laughed and pulled away. “I did miss you. It’s so nice to see a familiar face. You’ve also changed your hair color back to brunette, I see. I have been watching the students, but I don’t know any of them!” She said. 

Stacie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, duh. We graduated almost 8 years ago. I bet you there’s no one here who even remembers our names, except for Beca’s, of course.” 

The redhead swallowed. “Right…” She said awkwardly. 

“Were you sleeping under this tree?” Stacie asked, sensing the need to change the subject away from Beca. 

Chloe smiled thankfully. “No, just reminiscing. I miss it here.” She admitted. 

Stacie nodded. “I know what you mean. When Bella is old enough, I’m definitely bringing her here. Show here where it all started.” 

As they sat down on the grass together, they talked about where they were in their lives, and Stacie showed Chloe pictures of Bella, who had grown up to be just as pretty as her mother. 

“My god, she’s so cute!” The redhead squealed. 

Stacie smiled proudly, stashing her phone away. “She’s the love of my life”. She said and Chloe smiled back. 

Suddenly, Stacie grabbed Chloe’s hand. Her eyes widened at the small silver ring around her finger. “You’re married!?” The brunette yelled, and Chloe shushed her. 

“No, no, calm down. I’m engaged.” She corrected, laughing. 

Stacie squealed. “To who?” She asked, her eyes big with excitement. 

The redhead smiled.“To Chicago.” 

Stacie slapped Chloe’s leg playfully. “Nice going, Chlo. Oh, I can’t wait for you to have kids! It’s all so exciting!” She said, chatting away. 

Chloe blushed a little. Kids were definitely in her future plans, but for some reason she felt like Chicago and her were not ready for that at all. “Someday.” She smiled and looked at Stacie a little apologetically. “How’s your love life?” She asked. 

Stacie grinned. “Ah, you know, I get by. Nothing stable though.”  The brunette added, with a pout. Chloe smiled at her encouragingly. “Someday.” She repeated, and Stacie grinned. 

They talked some more, catching up with all the things that happened over the past years. Stacie told the redhead that she had set up a dancing studio in Atlanta, raising Bella as a single working mother. Chloe was impressed by how well Stacie was doing, and praised the girl for her bravery. 

 

Beca had gone to the campus cafe to kill some time. She ordered her college favorite and was pleased to find out that it still tasted as good as it did all those years ago. She made a mental note to leave a good tip. 

“Uhm, excuse me? Are you Beca Mitchell?” A boy asked shyly. 

“Yeah, I sure am! How are you?” She smiled and the boy turned red. 

“Oh my god.” He muttered. “Hi, I’m Trevor. I’m a huge fan of yours.” 

Beca grinned. Trevor reminded her a little of Benji. “Do you want to take a picture?” The brunette asked and the guy nodded. “Yes please.” She chuckled as she got up, posing with him. 

“Could you also sign my phone case?” He asked shyly and Beca grinned. 

“Sure, hand me a pen.” She left her signature and waved the boy goodbye. She knew word would spread fast, so she paid and left. It was getting close to 7 anyways, so Beca made her way to the bar.

 

Stacie and Chloe lost track of time, and before they knew it, it was nearing 7. “Oh, shoot! We have to go!” Chloe said, getting up and dusting off her jeans. She helped Stacie up as well, and they dropped their bags off at the address Amy had given them. It was a fancy hotel near the university, and Chloe wondered how much the rooms cost per night. 

“Amy’s super rich now, remember?” Stacie said, trying to make Chloe feel less bad. 

The redhead shrugged. “Still, she shouldn’t be wasting it on fancy hotel rooms for us.” 

They took a cab back to the karaoke bar, arriving perfectly at 7 pm. Chloe ignored the rumbling in her stomach, realising she had not eaten dinner. She pushed the feeling away as nerves hit her when they got out of the cab, walking towards the entrance of the club. She felt like her legs were made of jelly. The flannel she was wearing suddenly felt too tight on her body, and she breathed out nervously. Stacie walked in front of her, pushing open the door and holding it open for her. 

“You coming?” She asked as Chloe stood frozen a few feet away. 

The redhead swallowed and stepped forwards, deciding it was now or never. They entered the dark bar, their eyes needing to adjust to the light. Chloe saw Emily standing with her back to them, leaning against the bar and chatting with the guy behind it. She and Stacie snuck up to her, tickling her as they got close. 

“Oh my god, hi!” The tall brunette said, enveloping them both in a hug. Chloe smiled, rubbing her back. “I missed you so much.” Emily said, and Chloe saw tears brimming in her eyes. 

“Oh no, don’t cry, otherwise I’m going to cry!” The redhead warned her, grinning.

Emily wiped her eyes dramatically. “I’m so glad you two came!” She smiled and hugged them again. 

Chloe swallowed nervously. “Is everyone here already?” She asked, looking around the room curiously. 

“You’re actually the first!” Emily replied, grabbing Stacie and Chloe by the wrist, pulling them along to a booth. Chloe sat down thankfully, her legs still feeling unsure. Emily ordered them drinks as they waited for the other Bellas to arrive, chatting away about the songs she wrote over the past years and recounting where she had been. The redhead tried to concentrate, but she kept looking at the door to see if Beca would walk through. She sipped her white wine absentmindedly and nearly jumped out of her seat as she heard the door open. 

Cynthia Rose, Jessica and Ashley walked in and Chloe took a grateful breath, getting up to greet them. They joined their table, talking away. Jessica and Ashley showed them all a picture of their newborn twins, and Chloe felt happy.  Everyone was doing well. They chatted away when the door opened again and Aubrey walked in. 

Chloe squealed and got up, nearly spilling all of their drinks. She enveloped Aubrey in a very tight hug, squeezing her. 

“Oh god, Chloe you’re gonna squeeze the life out of me!” The blonde said, laughing. 

“I missed you so so so much.” The redhead said, kissing Aubrey’s cheek repeatedly. 

The blonde smiled. “I missed you to Chlo. You look amazing! New York has been treating you well, huh?” She noted, squeezing the redhead. They sat down after all the Bellas greeted their former leader, and Aubrey ordered another white wine for Chloe and herself.

 

Soon, everyone had arrived, except for Beca. Chloe studied the door while sipping her third wine. It was already 8 pm. 

“Maybe she’s not coming.” Aubrey said carefully. “She’s probably busy.” 

Chloe nodded shakily, feeling both relieved and disappointed. They toasted to the Bellas, laughing together and telling stories. Chloe stopped checking the door and participated in the conversation. 

Cynthia Rose was in the middle of telling everyone about her marriage, which had supposedly been very romantic and big, when the door slammed opened and Beca walked in, headphones around her neck. The room fell silent as they all noticed the brunette, and Chloe’s breath hitched when Beca’s dark blue eyes met hers. The redhead’s eyes immediately snapped down to her glass of wine, a blush creeping up her cheeks. 

“Hey nerds! Sorry I’m late. I got spotted and had to get rid of literally a whole fucking COLLEGE.“ The brunette said, shaking her head with a laugh. Chloe felt like her whole body turned into stone as soon as she heard Beca’s voice. 

Amy was the first to get up. She enveloped Beca in a big hug, the tiny brunette nearly disappearing in her arms. “We should be mad at you for being late, but you’re famous now so I guess that’s normal for you.” Amy sneered, laughing. 

Beca smiled at the blonde. “That’s right bitch, you better be glad that I showed up!” They all laughed, except for Chloe, who was still trying to figure out how to breathe again. Beca hugged all the other Bellas and smiled at them, before moving on to stand next to Chloe, leaning against the booth. “Hey Chlo.” She said softly and the redhead’s eyes snapped up. 

“Hi.” She said, barely audible. She cleared her throat. “How are you?” She asked Beca. 

The brunette shrugged. “Ah, you know, business is good.” She smirked. 

Chloe nodded. “That’s...good.” She said quietly.  

“And you?” Beca asked carefully. 

“Fine.” The redhead shrugged. 

Beca smiled at her and turned around to order a drink. Chloe looked at Aubrey with scared eyes, mouthing ‘Oh my god’. Aubrey giggled and patted the redhead’s shoulder. Chloe grabbed her wine, downing it with a big gulp. “I need something stronger!” She announced as she moved out from the booth, standing next to Beca at the bar. The barman looked at her questioningly. “I’ll have a whiskey.” She said shakily. He handed her the glass and Chloe grabbed it, throwing it back immediately, breathing out as the alcohol burned her throat. 

Beca looked at Chloe with a raised eyebrow and shook her head as she sipped her beer. “Didn’t take you for a whiskey kind of gal.” The brunette commented. 

Beca knew she looked calm externally. Internally, she was screaming. Running in circles, destroying everything that was in her way, jumping out of millions of windows, trying not to let it show that she was in fact standing next to Chloe Beale, her former, yet still somehow there, crush, breathing the same air as she did after 5 years. It calmed her a little to know that Chloe was seemingly just as nervous as she was. And seeing that the redhead was ordering another whiskey, Beca knew her friend was trying to gulp down some feelings she had. What kind of feelings the brunette couldn’t tell, but she knew she needed it too. So she ordered two shots for her and Chloe. She raised her glass before downing it. She ordered some whiskey and left the bar, deciding to join the Bellas to catch up with them. Standing next to the redhead, alone, for this long, didn’t exactly make her comfortable. Yet, anyways.

 

A few hours later, Chloe stumbled into the bathroom. She didn’t remember how much she drank, but her vision was not straight anymore and she wobbled slightly as she walked. “Gotta pee, gotta pee.” She mumbled as she entered a stall, sitting down on the toilet. Tonight had been stressful. For some reason, Emily had chosen a booth that was not big enough for all of them, which meant they all had to sit very, very close together to allow them all to sit down. And for some reason, Beca had decided to sit next to Chloe, meaning that the brunette and redhead’s hips were pressed flush against each other. Chloe blushed as she thought of the feeling of Beca’s warm body against hers, shaking her head. “You’re engaged, stupid.” She said out loud in the bathroom. She pulled up her skirt and thights, and flushed. She opened the stall, wobbling to the sink to wash her hands. When she looked up again, she noticed Beca leaning against the doorframe behind her. She whirled around, almost falling over. 

“Hey, careful.” The brunette said, smiling. “You good?” 

Chloe nodded, blushing. 

“You haven’t said much tonight. Cat got your tongue?” Beca said, pushing herself off from the doorframe. 

Chloe cleared her throat. “Not much to say I guess.” She said, smiling. 

“Tell me about your life.” The brunette pressed, looking at her friend expectantly. 

“Well, I live in New York, and I work as a vet.” The redhead started. 

Beca smiled. “So you finished vet school without failing 3 times? That’s good!” She commented. 

Chloe rolled her eyes and scoffed. “It was difficult, but I did it.” 

They stood in silence for a while. Then, Beca cleared her throat. “You coming back? Aubrey thought you had locked yourself in the bathroom so I came to check on you.” 

Chloe nodded, and they walked back to the booth together. Chloe sat down and Amy immediately presented her with a new drink. When Beca sat down too, pressing her body against the redhead’s, Chloe grabbed the glass, her fingers turning white. 

“Sorry.” Beca whispered, pushing Emily to the side a bit so the redhead could have more room. Chloe relaxed a little, sipping her drink. Aubrey tapped her shoulder and the redhead turned towards her with a questioning look. 

“How’s it all going?” The blonde whispered, motioning towards Beca who was deep in conversation with Emily. 

Chloe shrugged. “I’m dying on the inside, but I’ll survive.” She said between gritted teeth. Aubrey gave her a thumbs up and resumed her chat with Stacie. Chloe sipped her drink, stealing looks at Beca. 

 

Beca noticed Chloe stealing glances. She doesn’t comment on it however as she didn’t want to interrupt Emily’s rant about how frustrating songwriting can be. Internally, she wondered why Chloe kept doing it. There was no way she was feeling the same, was it? The brunette shook her head. That would be too good to be true. Chloe didn’t see her that way and she would never do so. 

Emily suddenly snapped her fingers. “Earth to Beca, you still there?” 

The girl in question shook her head. “Huh? Yeah. Just… Work, you know?” She smiled apologetically. 

“Ah, I see. This trip intends to reunite the Bellas though, so leave your work in L.A., will you?” The younger girl requested kindly. 

“Yeah sure. Continue.” The brunette smiled.

 

“Shots!!!” Stacie yelled after a while as she clutched a bottle of tequila close to her chest. Chloe laughed as the tall brunette hobbled over to the booth. The redhead grabbed a shot glass and Stacie filled it up. Beca did the same next to her. Chloe smirked at Beca, and they toasted before both knocking back the shot. The redhead felt the alcohol burn in her throat as she swallowed. 

“Why don’t we do body shots?” She asked suggestively. 

Stacie cheered and the other Bellas laughed. Not much later, Chloe was laying down on the bar, and Stacie poured the cold liquid into her belly button. Chloe giggled as she felt Stacie’s lips on her abs, drinking up the liquid. The other Bellas cheered her on and Stacie’s head whipped up when she got all the tequila out, taking the lemon in her mouth. Chloe laughed, clutching her stomach. 

“Beca, you’re next!” Amy yelled, and pushed the tiny brunette forwards toward Chloe. The redhead giggled at Beca as the brunette clutched the tequila bottle shakily. She poured the liquid into Chloe’s belly button, spilling it over the sides. It was cute to Chloe how Beca winced, trying to dab the spilled alcohol with a tissue. She stopped after a while, realizing that it was to no use because the redhead kept laughing, spilling even more tequila over her stomach, so she threw the tissue away.

“Screw it.” She exhaled. Her gaze was focused on Chloe’s belly button. “Okay, there I go.” Beca mumbled, connecting her lips to Chloe’s soft skin. 

Chloe felt her skin burn where Beca’s lips touched her stomach, and she blushed furiously. The brunette drank up the tequila, feeling Chloe’s muscles clench underneath her lips. The alcohol got caught in her throat, and she choked, coughing. The other Bellas roared with laughter. Beca wiped her mouth, embarrassed. “Alright, that’s enough from me.” 

Chloe giggled and stuck her hand out for Beca to take. The brunette lifted her up, helping her off the bar. 

 

Beca casually leaned towards Stacie as she watched Chloe leave. “Say.” She started. “That was intentional wasn’t it?” 

Stacie raised her hands defensively. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” She smiled innocently. 

“Oh come on Stace. You were always making sure Chloe and I did body shots off of each other in college, and I feel like this time it’s the same.” Beca glared at her taller friend. 

“Alright, you got me.” The brunette sighed in defeat. “But only because there’s this weird tension going on between you two and I wanted you to loosen up. Chloe acted really weird when I talked to her about you earlier.” 

Beca nodded, taking in the information. “Well, we just.. Didn’t end the USO tour on a good foot. Still aren’t on it… I think. I don’t know.” The brunette admitted softly. 

“Well, maybe this night will help you reconnect.” Stacie smiled supportively. “Also it looks like your ginger seems to have a plan.” She said, nodding towards Chloe who made her way to the stage.

 

Chloe wobbled onto the stage, clutching the microphone in her sweaty hand. “Okay, hey guys!” She yelled into the microphone. “Beca and I are going to sing Titanium. But this time we’re not naked in the shower together!” She exclaimed, giggling as Beca looked at her in shock. 

“No, not happening!” The brunette replied. 

“Oh come on Beca, just go.” Stacie said, pushing her friend towards the stage. 

“Yeah, don’t be a party pooper!” Amy shouted and Beca rolled her eyes as she hopped onto the stage. Chloe’s eyes wandered over the brunette’s lips as the melody started, smiling. The brunette rolled her eyes and sighed before she opened her mouth and started singing, oblivious to Chloe’s glance. 

 

_ You shout it out _

_ But I can't hear a word you say _

_ I'm talking loud not saying much _

_ I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet _

 

Chloe’s heart beat fast as she heard Beca singing. She felt like she had just fallen into a field full of flowers and puppies, and wanted to cry and laugh at same time. She opened her mouth a little too late, joining with the melody. 

 

_ You shoot me down, but I get up _

_ I'm bulletproof nothing to lose _

_ Fire away, fire away _

_ Ricochet, you take your aim _

_ Fire away, fire away _

 

Beca’s eyes had wandered over to the redhead, who was swaying along with the music, a deep blush apparent on her face and neck. She obviously had too much to drink, and Beca smirked internally. Chloe looked absolutely adorable, a little lost but so comfortable. When Chloe looked at Beca with her big blue eyes, the brunette smiled at her. 

 

_ You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium _

_ You shoot me down but I won't fall _

_ I am titanium, I am titanium, I am titanium, I am titanium. _

 

Chloe closed her eyes as she sang the next lines, making Beca’s breath hitch.

 

_ Cut me down _

_ But it's you who has further to fall _

_ Ghost town, haunted love _

_ Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones _

_ I'm talking loud not saying much _

 

They joined together again, finishing the song.

 

_ I'm bulletproof nothing to lose _

_ Fire away, fire away _

_ Ricochet, you take your aim _

_ Fire away, fire away _

_ You shoot me down but I won't fall _

_ I am titanium _

_ You shoot me down but I won't fall _

_ I am titanium, I am titanium _

_ Stone-hard, machine gun _

_ Firing at the ones who run _

_ Stone-hard, thus bulletproof glass _

 

_ You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium _

 

Chloe smiled at Beca, their eyes locked together. The Bellas cheered and the two girls hugged. Chloe melted into Beca’s embrace, feeling like herself again for the first time in five years. “I missed you.” She choked out. 

Beca smiled. “Missed you too, ya weirdo.” She replied, melting a little more into the embrace. She had missed Chloe’s hugs.

 

Beca couldn’t remember how many shots she had downed at this point, but she knew she probably had to take it easy for a while, so she sipped a coke while looking around the room. Many of the Bellas were dancing, and Beca felt a smile tug at her lips. It was good to be back. In her current lifestyle, it was easy to take things for granted and get lost in the flow of how good life was to her. Being back here reminded her of how lucky she was and where she came from. 

The brunette was interrupted from her thoughts when Chloe plopped down next to her. “Heeey!” She slurred. Beca laughed and greeted her with a salute. 

“How are you doing? This is so much fun, right?” The redhead said, leaning against the table. 

Beca smiled. “Yeah, it’s definitely nice to have the gang back together. I’m glad I decided to come.” She said sincerely. 

Chloe nodded. “Me too! I was so scared at first but then Chicago was like, you can totally leave if it’s awkward. I’m glad I came!” She smiled bright. 

Beca visibly tensed when Chloe mentioned Chicago. Her eyes narrowed. “You’re still together with him?” She asked, trying to hide the anger in her voice. Chloe nodded, showing off her ring. Beca’s jaw clenched and she tried to smile. “I’m glad.” She replied softly. 

The redhead played with a beer cap, her face suddenly serious. “He’s actually kind of an asshole lately.“ She whispered. 

Beca raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?” 

Chloe shrugged. “He’s never home and when he is he just watches his stupid sports.“ The redhead pouted. Beca didn’t really know what to say. “I’m sorry. I’m fine.” Chloe said quickly, regretting she brought it up in the first place. 

Beca shook her head. “No, it’s fine. You can talk to me about anything.” She admitted, smiling at the redhead. Chloe smiled back gratefully. She got a glass of some weird mixed drink from Amy a while ago, and she was sipping it with a disgusted look on her face. “This is really, really gross.” She said and Beca giggled. 

“What is it?” The brunette asked, taking it from Chloe’s hand. 

The redhead shrugged. “I don’t know. Amy gave it to me.” 

Beca smelled the drink and her face screwed up. “Dude, this is super strong!” She commented, laughing at Chloe who had nearly finished half of it. She brought the glass to her lips and tasted it. “Jesus, this is like pure gasoline.“ She scrunched up her face, feeling the liquid burn all the way through her throat. “Though it is kinda nice.” She admitted and drank some more. 

The redhead smirked “You take it!”

 

Chloe had left for the bathroom and Beca was sitting in the booth, stirring the drink she had gotten from the redhead absentmindedly. The more time she spent here, the more she could feel herself calm down. Things weren’t weird between her and Chloe. Sure, the elephant was still in the room, but she had accepted that they just ignore it and focus on enjoying each other’s company. 

“Alright folks, the karaoke bar is officially closed. Enjoy the rest of your time here dancing to the music of DJ Barden!” The bartender spoke into the mic and a man who looked like he was in his early twenties came up on the stage to put on some music. The Bellas cheered, loving the change and started partying harder than before. Beca shook her head at them, chuckling. She had truly found some weirdos. 

Chloe returned from the bathroom, gasping as she saw that a DJ had arrived. “Becs, we need to dance!” She exclaimed. The redhead didn’t leave the brunette a choice however. She pulled Beca onto her feet and joined the rest of the Bellas as she started dancing. The brunette grinned goofily as she began to move her hips to the beat.

 

Chloe felt sweat drip down her back as she swayed her hips, grinding into Beca with a smile. The beat was pumping in her heart and she felt more alive than she had in years. Her arms were wrapped around Beca’s neck, and she swayed against the brunette, letting her head fall back. Beca had her hands on the redhead’s hips, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she was not nearly as drunk as Chloe. She enjoyed the feeling of the redhead’s warm body grinding up against her. She had wrapped the flannel she was wearing around her hips, now only wearing a revealing tank top and skirt. Beca was still wearing her leather jacket, but the way the redhead was moving against her made her whole body feel like it was on fire. Chloe leaned forward, her lips right next to the brunette’s ear. 

“You look really hot in that leather jacket.” She whispered. Beca felt a rush of heat go through her abdomen. Chloe giggled and put her finger in front of her lips. “Shhh, it’s a secret.” 

The brunette tried to look away from Chloe, but her eyes were captured by the redhead’s sky blue ones. Chloe leaned forward and just in time, Beca realised her blue eyes were trained on the brunette’s lips. She pushed Chloe away slowly, mumbling something about needing some air. Her heart was ramming in her chest and her legs felt like they would collapse at any moment. She swiftly went outside, leaving Chloe, who stood in the middle of the dance floor, tears welling up in her eyes. 

She whimpered and felt Aubrey tug at her arm. “Come on, Chlo.” She said, pulling her along towards the bathroom. 

 

Beca let out a long breath as she blew the smoke out of her lungs. She put the cigarette to her lips, inhaling deeply. “You’re such a fucking idiot.” She whispered to herself. She couldn’t believe Chloe had just tried to... She shook her head, getting rid of the thoughts. “She’s just drunk”. She closed her eyes, letting the soft wind cool her down as she blew out the smoke again. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. It still made her think. Chloe was with Chicago, yet she had just tried to kiss her. “No, stop overthinking!” She angrily exclaimed, smacking herself. This night had just taken a turn she didn’t expect it to take.

 

Chloe cried softly as Aubrey handed her a paper towel. “What happened?” The blonde asked. 

Chloe shook her head. “It was stupid. Oh god, I shouldn’t have drank so much. I bet I made Beca super uncomfortable.” She whimpered. 

Aubrey hugged the redhead. “It’s okay. I’ll get you some water.” She said softly and Chloe nodded. 

She was sitting on the counter of the bathroom, like a lost little child. She had taken her heels off long ago and her bare feet were dirty. Aubrey returned with a glass of water and Chloe took it gratefully, taking a sip. She sniffled loudly. 

“Do you want to… go home?” Aubrey offered, and the redhead shook her head. 

“I don’t want to go home. Home sucks.” She huffed, and started crying again. 

“Okay, okay. Then, do you want me to take you to the hotel?” The blonde asked, wiping away Chloe’s tears. 

The redhead nodded but then shook her head. “I just need to calm down, I’ll be okay.” She murmured, drinking up the glass of water. She filled it up again in the sink, and downed it. She plopped the glass down on the counter, jumping off of it and almost falling flat on her face. “Whoopsie.” She giggled. 

Aubrey just rolled her eyes and took her hand, leading her back to the Bellas. 

 

They all cheered as Chloe came back, and Amy patted her on the back. “Good job, Chloe.” She said, praising her strength. 

Aubrey’s eyes flashed angrily at Amy. “You’re not going to give her anything more. Not one sip.” She hissed, her voice filled with anger. 

Amy’s eyes widened and she held up her hands. “Fine, jeesh.” She said, a smile playing at her lips. 

Chloe ordered a coke and sipped it silently. She listened to the conversation, but didn’t really hear any of it. After a while, realisation dawned on her. “Where’s Beca?” She asked Amy. 

The blonde shrugged and pointed outside. “She went outside.” 

Chloe got up, wobbling outside. Her bare feet touched the cold concrete and she peered outside into the darkness. Her eyes noticed Beca, huddled up against the wall with a cigarette between her lips. “Hey!” The redhead spoke up, way too loud. 

Beca jumped, clutching her heart. “Jesus, you scared me. Go back inside. You’re going to catch a cold.” She said, looking at Chloe’s bare feet. 

Chloe shook her head. “I wanna be here with you.” She pouted and crossed her arms. Beca inhaled and blew out the smoke, looking ahead of her. “Smoking is bad for you.” Chloe said after a while. 

“I know. It’s just occasional. When I really need it. “ The brunette retorted. 

“Are you okay?” The redhead asked carefully while getting closer to Beca. 

“Fine. Just got a little hot, that’s all.” Beca lied, her heartbeat getting faster as Chloe got closer. 

“Are you mad at me?” The redhead spoke softly. 

“No, why would I be?” The brunette closed her eyes and her breath hitched as Chloe leaned against the wall next to her, their shoulders almost touching. “Chloe, please go back inside.” She said weakly. 

Chloe shook her head. Beca felt her breathing quicken. “I liked dancing with you. I haven’t felt that alive since...in forever.” Chloe said, looking at the stars. 

“That’s nice.” Beca said, struggling to breathe. Chloe’s eyes studied the brunette’s face carefully. “Could you please stop looking at me?” Beca said, barely above a whisper. She could feel herself falling apart more and more with every second she spent with the redhead. 

“Why?” Chloe asked, completely oblivious. Beca’s breathing came in labored, short puffs, and she felt herself get light headed. “Beca, are you okay?” Chloe asked, worry flashing across her face. She went to grab the brunette’s shoulder, but Beca pushed her away. 

“Don’t fucking touch me!” She rasped. 

Chloe’s eyes widened in shock as realisation dawned on her. “Beca, you’re hyperventilating!” Her drunk mind searched for the right way to act, but she couldn’t remember. “I don’t know what to do!” She yelled as Beca’s face turned blue. Chloe saw her legs buckle and caught her, sinking down on the floor with Beca in her arms. “Help!” Chloe yelled, panic evident in her voice. “Beca, you need to breathe!” She felt tears sting in her eyes. 

She heard the other Bellas stumble outside, Jessica immediately kneeling down next to Chloe. “Chloe, you have to let go of her. Beca, put your head between your legs and try to breathe. Someone get me a paper bag!” The blonde shoved Chloe out of the way, taking care of Beca. 

Chloe vaguely remembered that Jessica was a nurse. Aubrey pulled Chloe into a hug as Amy ran inside and came back out with a paper bag, giving it to Jessica who put it over Beca’s mouth and nose. “Breathe.” Jessica said calmly, and Beca tried to exhale and inhale slowly. Her body felt extremely heavy and her lungs hurt. Chloe whimpered into Aubrey’s shoulder and the blonde clutched her supportively. 

When Beca’s breathing slowed down, Chloe let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. The Bellas stood around the small brunette, worried looks on their faces. 

“Woah, nerds, calm down. I’m good. Thanks Jess.” Beca said weakly when she regained her voice, trying to smile. To be honest, she wasn’t good. Her body felt like she was just hit by a truck. Her eyes looked for Chloe frantically, and she saw the redhead standing a little apart, her blue eyes wide and her face coated with tears. “Chlo, I’m sorry.” The brunette apologized, knowing that she hurt Chloe’s feelings by yelling at her like that and she had probably scared her too. 

Chloe nodded and wiped her eyes. Beca leaned back against the wall tiredly and closed her eyes before clearing her throat. “Can you bring me to the hotel?” She asked, eyeing the redhead with pleading eyes. 

Chloe nodded and cleared her throat. “I’ll take you there.” She said determined and walked over to the brunette. The other Bellas went back inside but Aubrey and Amy stayed behind. Amy gave them the details they needed to give to the hotel staff to get their room keys and Aubrey hugged Chloe tight. 

They hailed a cab and Chloe wrapped her arm around Beca as they climbed into the car. “I’ll text you when we get there.” The redhead promised Aubrey as she closed the door. Aubrey nodded and waved, looking at the disappearing headlights with a sad smile. 

 

Beca’s body was so worn out, it felt like she had just run a marathon. She closed her eyes tiredly. Chloe was sitting upright in her seat, nervously staring at the road. The cab driver looked in his rearview mirror, smiling kindly at the redhead. “We will be there soon.” He spoke up and Chloe nodded. 

When they arrived, Chloe paid him and stumbled out of the car, walking around it to get Beca out. She tried to help the brunette up, but Beca gently pushed her away and got out on her own. “I’m fine, Chloe.“ She sighed. 

Chloe backed off with a small nod and followed Beca who slowly walked inside. They arrived at the desk and Chloe gave the tired looking woman their information. She presented them with a fancy looking key. The redhead grabbed it eagerly, but Beca raised an eyebrow. 

“Why is there just one key? I need a room too?” She asked suspiciously. 

“Miss Hobart has arranged for all of you to share rooms. She told me that you and Miss Beale especially wanted to share a room, so we have arranged the presidential suite for you.” The woman said, smiling kindly. 

Beca gritted her teeth. “Of course she did.” 

 

They took the elevator to their room which was on the top floor. Beca leaned against the side of the elevator tiredly. “Well, that sucked.” She spoke up, breaking the silence. 

Chloe jumped when the brunette spoke. “What happened? Have you ever had something like this happen before?” She asked, curiously. 

Beca let out a breath. “I think I had a panic attack.” She shrugged, looking at the floor a little awkwardly. She realised that the panic attack was caused by the redhead standing in front of her, but she had no idea how to explain it to her. 

Chloe nodded. “It seemed a lot like it. Are you really okay?” The redhead asked, putting her hand on Beca’s arm worriedly. 

Beca rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I think it was just the...warmth in the bar.” She lied, wishing Chloe would remove her hand but at the same time hoping that she would never let go of her again. 

The elevator arrived with a ding and they got out, walking towards their room in silence.  _ “Please let there be two separate beds.”  _ Beca prayed as Chloe fumbled with the key, trying to put it in the lock. 

The brunette sighed with a grin and grabbed the key from the redhead’s hands, unlocking the door successfully. 

Her jaw dropped as she saw the room in front of her. The view was amazing, two big windows allowing them to see the whole city. There was a big double bed in the middle of the room, with pearl white sheets and a lot of colorful pillows spread out all over it. There was a fluffy carpet on the wooden floor, and a fire crackled in the fireplace. Chloe walked in after her and the brunette heard a soft gasp escape the redhead’s throat. 

“Well….with all this room, they could’ve added in another bed.” Beca mumbled angrily as Chloe whisked past her, crashing down on the bed. 

“Oh my god, this is amazing!” The redhead squealed. She softly stroked the soft sheets and fluffed up one of the colorful pillows. She looked at Beca slyly and the brunette felt a heavy force tug on her heart. Chloe looked adorable sitting on the big bed, her hair a little ruffled and her makeup smudged. 

“I’m gonna go get changed.” The brunette said tiredly and opened her suitcase, letting it plop down on the floor with a heavy thud. She grabbed a big graphic tee and her toilet bag, shoving it under her arm, and made her way over to the bathroom. She flicked the light switch and her eyes widened as they fell upon a giant bath sitting in the middle of the room. She took off her leather jacket, folding it over a chair which was standing next to the bath. She made a mental promise to herself to use the bath at least once while she stayed here. She got undressed and slipped into her shirt, which was way too big for her, but she liked it that way. She removed what was left of her makeup and turned on the sink, splashing some cold water in her face. When she brushed her teeth, she let out a long sigh, thinking about how things turned out. She couldn’t believe Chloe was in the other room, drunk out of her mind and that Beca would have to crawl into bed with her like nothing happened between them in the past 5 years. She thought about putting the duvet in the bath and crashing there, but just imagining it already made her back sore. She gathered her courage and pushed herself off from the sink, walking back into the hotel room. 

Her eyes roamed across the room only to find that Chloe was lying on her back, draped across the bed with her tank top balled up in her fist, as she had obviously fallen asleep while in the process of taking it off. Beca felt a blush creep up her face at the sight of the redhead’s pale exposed skin and her baby pink lace bra. The redhead whimpered slightly in her sleep and Beca groaned internally. She walked over to the bed, shaking Chloe’s shoulder. “You need to at least take your clothes of, Chlo.” She commented, tugging on her arm. It was like she was pulling on a sack of flour. “Chloe!” Beca shouted angrily. 

The redhead’s eyes shot open. “Whatthefu-” She started, but stopped herself, looking down at her exposed midriff. “Did you take my shirt off?” She asked Beca with a slurred voice. 

Beca raised her hands defensively. “Nope, that was all you. But you should really brush your teeth and maybe...take a shower” She said, raising her eyebrows at the redhead’s dirty feet. “Your feet are gross.” 

Chloe laughed and heaved herself up. “Fine, I’ll shower. Will you help me?” She asked suggestively. 

“Nope.” Beca replied, popping the p. She shoved the redhead from the bed as she got in herself, pulling the duvet over her and letting out a content sigh. She heard Chloe grumble as she walked towards her suitcase, getting out a big flannel shirt and shutting the bathroom door behind her. She chuckled softly. 

 

Chloe could not understand why Beca was being so mean to her. She grumbled as she took her skirt off, her nails creating a giant ladder in her tights in the process. “Shit!” She spat angrily and she pulled the tights off, throwing them to the side. She stood in her bra and underwear, looking around a little confusedly. “Right, shower. One showers naked.” She said to herself, slipping out of her panties and throwing her bra over the chair next to the bath. She turned the shower on, letting the hot water hit her back. She had to hold onto the glass to keep herself steady and she laughed at herself a little. She looked at the dark water that  formed at her feet, wrinkling her nose. “How did my feet get so dirty?” She wondered aloud, and when the water was clear again, she turned the shower off. 

Grabbing one of the soft fluffy towels from the counter, she dried herself off, shivering slightly. She slipped her panties back on and put on the big flannel, which she had stolen from Chicago years ago and was now part of her bedroom attire. She fumbled with the buttons, taking about 10 minutes to close 3 of them and then giving up on the rest. Her makeup had completely smudged in the shower, but she did not have the energy to take it off. She brushed her teeth tiredly, making faces at herself in the mirror. She turned off the lights as left the bathroom, eager to get back to the bed. She noticed Beca had turned off the lights in the bedroom as well, and struggled with finding the bed. 

At one point, she stubbed her toe on Beca’s suitcase and whispered a swear. When her hand touched the side of the bed she sighed gratefully, slipping under the duvet. She felt Beca breathing beside her, but had no idea if she was asleep or not. “Beca?” She whispered, but the brunette didn’t reply. Chloe turned her back to the brunette sadly, her hands folded to her chest as she closed her eyes. “Goodnight.” She whispered and fell asleep not soon after.


	3. Pancakes and ripped shirts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is one of my favorites. Just the Bellas doing a team activity together. INCLUDING Stacie. It just feels so nice. Enjoy (;

Beca woke up in the middle of the night, groaning as a headache hit her. She felt a heavy weight on her stomach, and looked down tiredly. A pale white arm was draped across her and she could see Chloe’s red hair sprawled out over her stomach as the girl had cuddled up extremely close to her. Beca felt her breath hitch, but didn’t move an inch. She didn’t want to wake the redhead and to be totally honest, the sight of the redhead cuddled up to her like this made her heart feel extremely giddy and warm. She remembered how it was like in college and at their apartment. Smiling, she softly stroked a stray strand of Chloe’s hair out of her face. The redhead looked extremely innocent and small lying in the big bed. Beca realised it was kind of creepy to stare at Chloe like this and averted her eyes. The alarm clock on their bedside table showed her that it was 4:30 am. She let a yawn escape and closed her eyes again, falling asleep with a smile at her lips and her arm wrapped around the redhead’s shoulder. 

 

Chloe’s eyes fluttered open as the sun shone bright on her face. She immediately closed them again as the light blinded her and a headache hit her like a truck. “Fuck.” She whispered softly, and put her hand on her forehead, sighing. She felt someone stirring next to her and she froze when yesterday came back to her in flashes. Meeting the Bellas, Beca’s arrival, how drunk she got and arriving at the hotel room together with the brunette. She felt the brunette wrap her arm around her waist and let out a soft yelp. 

The arm around her waist tensed and then slid away softly. “Sorry.” She heard Beca mumble. 

Chloe felt her heart beating in her throat as she panicked about what to do next. However, before she could do anything, she heard the brunette whisper a soft “Shit.” as she slipped out of the bed and ran across the room. Not much later, Chloe heard the unmistakable sound of Beca throwing up in the toilet. 

 

Beca sat back down on the floor, her back against the cold stone of the bathroom wall. She wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. “Jesus fuck.” She whispered, her hands shaking. After having calmed down, she heaved herself up by clutching the sink. She quickly brushed her teeth, drank a little water, and then hobbled back into the hotel room. “Mornin’.” She said cheekily, flopping down on the bed again. 

Chloe smiled, her eyes still closed. “Good morning. Are you okay?” She asked, stretching her hands above her head. 

“Yeah, my stomach still doesn’t take alcohol very well. I’ll just need to get some food in me and some painkillers and I’ll be good to go. How about you?” The brunette asked, rolling over to face the redhead, who still had her eyes pressed close. “You can open your eyes you know, the sun isn’t that bright.” 

Chloe shook her head. “This is my remedy. It takes care of the headache. I’m okay, really. My body is pretty used to the amount of alcohol I drank last night.” She said softly. Admittedly, she ended up drinking nearly every night when Chicago wouldn’t be coming home, seeing it as something to do and distracting herself from the crushing loneliness. But she wouldn’t tell Beca that, of course. 

“Woah, you’re wild.” The brunette commented. 

Chloe shrugged. “Nah, just an idiot who makes bad life choices.” She pulled the duvet over her head, groaning. 

“Shall I order us breakfast?” Beca asked carefully after a while. 

“Okay, sure.” Chloe mumbled.

 

A knock on their door announced the arrival of their room service and Beca reluctantly got up to get it. She had ordered them an array of pancakes and waffles and also ordered them to bring them a bottle of painkillers. She accepted them with a smile and closed the door with her foot. She couldn’t believe she was going to eat breakfast in bed with Chloe, with who she has spend the night. She carefully placed the tray with their breakfast on it on the bed. “There you go.” She said to Chloe, who finally dared to open her eyes. 

“Why is the light so bright? I prefer darkness.” The redhead mumbled as she helped herself to a plate full of waffles. 

Beca laughed. “You’re literally the most bubbly, sunshiney person I know, and you prefer darkness? I call bullshit.” 

“People change, Mitchell.” Chloe retorted, taking a bite out of her waffle. 

Beca raised her hands in surprise. “Jeez, someone’s snappy.” She grabbed her waffle and they ate in silence. Beca glanced over at Chloe before grabbing the whipped cream and the strawberries, starting to decorate her waffles. “Look, I made you!” She said when she was done, showing the redhead her work proudly. She had used the whipped cream for eyes, nose, mouth and as glue for the strawberries. The strawberries she pressed onto the whipped cream represented Chloe’s red hair. 

A soft smile formed on the redhead’s lips and she had to roll her eyes. “You’re a dork. Give me that.” She snatched the whipped cream from Beca’s hand before doing the same to her waffle. For the brunette’s hair however she used the Nutella that came with. “Here you go.” 

Beca rolled her eyes. “Who’s the dork now huh?” 

The redhead giggled and slapped Beca playfully. “Shut up.” 

 

When they ate their waffles they took the painkillers. Chloe excused herself to the bathroom. She walked over, her flannel barely covering her butt as she stretched. Beca felt her mouth go dry and she took her glass of water, quickly gulping it down. 

The redhead entered the bathroom, plopping herself down onto the toilet. She sighed as she peed, looking at the ceiling. She couldn’t believe she went to bed with Beca. After 5 years. She had to smile that the brunette still had the habit to snuggle up to her in the morning. The last time she had woken up with Chicago who had his arms wrapped like that around her was a long time ago. With Beca she could always be sure that they cuddled. She bit her lip as she got up from the toilet, yelping as she looked at herself in the mirror. She suddenly felt super embarrassed for letting Beca see her with her smudged makeup. She went to clean it off and brushed her teeth.

 

When she arrived back into the room, Beca was on her phone. Chloe stretched and walked over to her suitcase. She grabbed some deodorant and sprayed it into her armpits, shivering at how cold it was. She then proceeded to get back into the bed. “Do you have any idea what the plan is for today?” She asked Beca, who didn’t look up from her phone while answering. 

“No clue. Bet the others are still asleep. We went home relatively early.” 

Chloe sighed, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face. Beca was behaving exactly like Chicago did. Always on that stupid phone, ignoring her. She stole glances at Beca who was looking at her phone with a furrowed brow. 

“Is there something wrong?” She asked after a while. 

The brunette shook her head. “Just some stupid emails from Taylor. She keeps bugging me about this new song she wants to write, but I already told her countless times that it’s not going to work.” 

Chloe bit her lip “Taylor… you don’t mean Taylor Swift now do you?” She asked carefully. 

Beca rolled her eyes. “The one and fucking only.” She replied, making the redhead stare at her unbelievably. 

“Oh, okay.” Chloe said casually. They fell silent again. Chloe looked around the room, tapping her fingers on the duvet awkwardly. She nearly wanted to make a “nice weather today”-esce comment, when Beca and her both yelped as the brunette’s phone rang in her hands. 

Beca picked up immediately, and Chloe could hear the unmistakable sound of Amy’s voice ringing loudly through the speaker. “Hey Beca, go get your girlfriend out of bed because we are going somewhere!” She exclaimed, and Beca held the phone away from her ear, rolling her eyes. 

“Fine, meet you in the lobby in ten.” 

 

They got ready, Beca choosing to go with black ripped jeans, a grey tank top and a white-greyish flannel. Chloe opted for a light blue blouse and high waisted skinny jeans. They put on their shoes and grabbed their jackets before taking the elevator down. Downstairs some of the Bellas were already gathered around. 

“Ah, the lovers!” Stacie greeted them and Beca blushed. 

“We’re not… Whatever. Defending myself isn’t gonna work in this group.” 

“Finally you learned.” The taller brunette smiled as she hugged Beca. 

Chloe blushed furiously and crossed her arms defensively. “You guys do know I’m engaged right!” She huffed. 

Beca’s smile faltered and she let go of Stacie. The group fell silent, and Amy cleared her throat awkwardly. “So...you bitches ready? We have a surprise waiting outside!” She announced and everyone quickly got over the awkwardness, racing each other outside. 

Chloe stayed behind a bit and felt Aubrey grab her wrist. 

“Everything okay? Did something happen?” She asked the redhead with worried eyes. 

Chloe shook her head. “She cuddled me. I don’t know, I think I’m okay.” She lied, not wanting to give any more attention than needed to the butterflies fluttering in her stomach whenever she looked at Beca. 

“Just tell me if you’re not.” Aubrey said softly and squeezed her hand. 

Chloe smiled at Aubrey thankfully and they followed the rest of the Bellas outside. They were scattered around, all of them admiring a bright neon pink limousine parked in front of the hotel. 

Chloe’s eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. “Amy, this is amazing!” She said to the blonde, who smiled cockily. 

“Oh hell yeah, I know I am” She said, crossing her arms. “Now, get in Bellas!” She ordered. 

They all piled into the limousine, Chloe once again being squeezed in between Beca and Emily. She felt her thighs tingle where Beca’s touched hers and she tried to ignore the feeling. 

“Where are we going?” Ashley asked after everyone was sitting inside the car and the driver had started driving. 

Amy just smirked and didn’t say anything. They knew they wouldn’t get an answer from her, so they busied themselves with drinking the champagne that came with the limousine. 

Chloe awkwardly refused and noticed Beca did the same. “I’ve had enough for a while.” The brunette commented. They chatted excitedly among themselves, trying to guess where they were going. 

“Maybe we’re going to give a surprise performance! The Bellas are back!” Cynthia Rose said excitedly and they all cheered. 

 

They arrived a while later, the limousine coming to a sudden stop. Around them they could see trees and a clear sky. Chloe was pushed out by Emily and felt her boots sink away in a muddy puddle. 

“Oh shit!” She yelped, stepping towards the dryer dirt quickly. 

“Where the hell are we?” Stacie wondered out loud. 

Amy turned around with a smirk on her face. “Follow me, ladies!” She said and turned around, marching away without another word. The other Bellas shrugged at each other and followed Amy into the forest. 

Beca walked next to Chloe, their hands almost brushing together. “Do you know where we are going?” The redhead asked the brunette nervously. 

“Nope.” Beca answered shortly, shaking her head. They fell silent again. 

Chloe racked her brain trying to find something to talk about but all she could think about was how Beca cuddled up to her last night and how amazingly well she slept. So instead, she looked around the woods they were walking through, enjoying the fresh air and the silence, as the only sound that could be heard was the shuffling of their feet through the leaves and the casual chatter between the other girls. The morning sun was shining through the trees, warming up her face. 

 

Beca looked over to Chloe, only to feel her breath get caught in her throat. The redhead was smiling softly, taking in the woods before them.The sun shone through her red locks, making it look like Chloe’s face was surrounded by a beautiful ring of fire. She looked drop dead gorgeous. Beca felt a blush creep up her cheeks and tore her eyes away from the redhead, looking around the woods as well, trying to calm her heart, which was beating loudly in her chest. The brunette hoped that wherever they were going wouldn’t last long and didn’t involve her and Chloe doing things together. She knew she would embarrass herself sooner or later.

 

They had been walking for a long time and some of the Bellas had started complaining. Chloe wondered if Amy was leading them into a trap, but she decided to keep her mouth shut and just let whatever happened, happen. When she was just about to ask Amy if they were almost there yet, she spotted a sign. Her eyes widened “We’re going paintballing!?” She exclaimed excitedly. 

Amy looked back in alarm as the other Bellas cheered. “Chloe! You ruined the surprise!” The blonde spat angrily and Chloe raised her hands apologetically. 

They all started running towards the small activity center they could now see. It was a small building with several picnic tables surrounding it. Next to it was another building and a sign told them that this was the armoury. 

When they were all sat down at the picnic tables as Amy had ordered them to, a tall, fit looking guy turned the corner and smiled at them. “Ladies! Welcome. I’m Mark and I will be your paintballing guide today!” He shouted like he was commanding a group of soldiers. Chloe heard Beca snicker next to her and smiled. “Today we are playing a game of elimination. Three shots to your arms, legs or chest means you’re out! You each get a color, and the one who survives the longest, wins! However, bonus points are earned for each person that shows your colour in the end. No sniping, no hiding in the same spot for a long time. Any questions?!” He yelled and Chloe blinked at the loud sound of his voice. 

She raised her hand nervously and Mark nodded towards her. “Does it hurt?” She asked softly and Mark barked a laugh. 

“It does, so make sure you don’t get hit!” He smirked. 

Chloe looked at Beca with scared eyes. “It really doesn’t, only in certain places but we will wear protective gear. Don’t worry Chlo, your pretty face will be fine.” The brunette smiled, squeezing her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed angrily at Mark. She had no idea what his problem was, but the way he talked reminded her of a certain army soldier and her bottled up anger for Chicago triggered her inner bitch to come out when she looked at Mark. Chloe noticed Beca’s scowl and giggled. 

 

When Mark was done explaining all the rules, he took them to the armoury to get suited up. They all got some protective gear, a helmet and protective eyewear. They all laughed at each other because they looked really silly. Chloe’s eyes roamed over Beca, who was already small to begin with, but seemed to disappear completely underneath all the protective wear. 

They all got guns with paintball holders on top, filled with the colorful balls. Chloe looked at her yellow coloured paintballs happily and shook the gun with a grin. They all got ready and when a loud buzz announced the start of the game, they all sped off into the playing field. There were a few houses scattered around, some on higher ground. All throughout the field were obstacles they could hide behind, like old cars, walls or barrels. 

Chloe sprinted towards a rusty car, pressing her back against it. Her heart was already beating in her throat. She clutched the heavy gun nervously and let out a long breath, trying to calm down. Chicago had taken her to the shooting range a couple of times and had told her she was a natural. However, this was different. The paintball gun was much bigger. It felt weird and scary in her hands. She shook her head, trying to remember that this was supposed to be fun and it was just a game. 

 

Beca smiled confidently as she was hiding behind a small brick wall. She actually had a lot of practice with paintball, having even joined some competitions. She would never tell the other Bellas this and risk getting disqualified, because she really, really loved winning. 

Her head whipped up as she heard shuffling feet to her right. She poked her head around the corner carefully and smirked at the sight in front of her. Ashley and Jessica were walking back to back, obviously ignoring the rules by teaming up. They both looked scared out of their mind. A small smile formed on Beca’s lips as she readied her gun. She leaned it on the top of the wall, steading herself and closing one eye. She aimed at Ashley’s left arm, squeezing the trigger softly. The girls both screamed when the brunette was hit and a black splash of paint ran down Ashley’s arm. Beca immediately fired again, hitting Jessica in her stomach. She repeated the action again until each girl had three black dots on their bodies. 

“Sorry girls.” She mouthed softly as they finally spotted her. She turned around, knowing that she had to leave her hiding spot as soon as possible as everyone would know where she was by now. 

 

Chloe heard Jessica and Ashley’s names being called out of the game and she breathed thankfully. At least she wasn’t in last place. She clutched the gun nervously and tried to listen for any sounds. She heard a soft shuffling to her left and pressed her back even harder against the car, wishing she could disappear inside. Magically, the person didn’t see her and walked right past her. Chloe’s eyes widened as she saw Aubrey sneak around, impressed. 

She didn’t know what to do and then remembered that the point of the game was to shoot others. She aimed the gun with a shaky hand, closing one eye and pulling the trigger. She hit Aubrey in the back, a yellow splash of paint staining her shirt. 

“Oh, what?” Aubrey said, looking around at where the shot came from, giving Chloe another chance to shoot and hitting her in her leg. The blonde’s eyes met Chloe’s and the redhead grinned and fired off one last shot to the other leg. 

“Sorry.” She said softly. Aubrey rolled her eyes and walked off, and not soon after her name was being called. 

 

Beca cracked her neck as she came to a halt behind a bush. She knew she got this. Her ears perked up as she heard footsteps, approaching the bush she was currently hiding behind. The brunette readied her gun. She patiently waited until the person stopped walking before she jumped up, quickly firing off three balls, each hitting her victim on the chest.

“Aw, fuck you dude. I wanted to win.” Cynthia Rose pouted as she looked at the black splotches on her protective gear. 

Beca simply grinned and blew the woman a kiss before walking off, looking for a new hiding spot. Cynthia’s name was being called, signifying she was officially out of the game. Beca didn’t care however as she spotted Lilly who seemed to be setting up some kind of trap. The brunette raised her eyebrow. She readied her gun, stepping forward.  _ Crack. _ Beca’s eyes widened as she looked down to her foot. A branch had snapped in half beneath her weight, and out of the corner of her eyes she saw Lilly turn around. She snapped her head back up as she felt the first hit of the paintball hit her arm.

The brunette knew she had to act fast. So, she ducked behind the closest barrel, successfully avoiding another hit. “Shit.” She cursed under her breath as she heard the splatters of the Asian girl’s bullets hit the barrel. Beca took a deep breath, thinking about what she could do. An idea hit her and she smirked. “You know…” She spoke up, knowing Lilly was listening. “Setting up traps is against the rules! So it would be a shame if you…” She jumped up, ready to shoot the girl. “DISQUALIFIED!” However, there was no one standing around. The brunette’s eyes widened as she looked around frantically, searching for the black haired girl. “Fuck.” She exclaimed a little too loudly.

She was greeted with a purple splatter to her leg. Beca knew things were getting tight. So, she decided to drop Lilly, running in a wavy line to flee from the scene and to safety.

 

Chloe ducked behind a rusty corrugated sheet. She was currently peeking around the corner, looking for others. She spotted Lilly hunched over something. Just as she was getting ready to shoot, Beca intervened, so the redhead stayed low and watched. When the brunette fled the scene after being hit twice, Chloe chuckled quietly to herself. It was visible how the confidence Beca carried with herself faded with every passing minute she couldn’t find Lilly. Once the brunette disappeared, the redhead readied her rifle. Lilly hid somewhere where Chloe could easily shoot her. She shot the Asian girl three times, hitting her in her chest and arm. Lilly glared at her before getting up and walking away as Mark called her name. Chloe grinned proudly to herself, imagining Beca’s baffled face that Lilly was gone. 

She turned around and walked towards a bush, hiding in it. She froze when Emily walked by, praying the younger girl wouldn’t spot her. Her prayers were answered as she heard the brunette grunt due to her being hit. Stacie came out of her hiding spot, winking at Emily .“Sorry girl. Never walk around without care.”

The younger girl huffed as she walked out, her name being called over the speaker.

“Well, you should also not reveal yourself. The surroundings are always listening, watching.” Chloe spoke up before shooting Stacie, successfully taking her out.

“Bitch!” The tall brunette protested.

“Sorry.” The redhead smiled sheepishly as Stacie’s name was called. The brunette rolled her eyes and followed Emily.

Chloe needed to get out of the bush, so she crawled out. The hem of her blouse got stuck in the thorns the bush apparently had, and the redhead heard a ripping noise. She winced as she saw that her piece of clothing was hanging loosely off her body, probably completely ruined. She decided to go into one of the houses to check.

Once arrived in the closest one, she removed her chest protection and almost yelped when she saw that the thorns somehow managed to basically rip the shirt apart. Chloe decided to remove it and put the chest protection back on. She threw her shirt into the corner, making a mental note to come back and get it after the game.

 

Beca disappeared behind a wall to catch her breath. When she heard Lilly’s name being called, her face scrunched up in confusion. She had only hit Lilly once. Then it dawned on her that someone else must’ve shot her. Which would mean, they were close by, probably watching. Watching her embarrass herself. She hit the wall with a groan.

Suddenly, footsteps were approaching the house she was hiding behind. Beca tightened her grip on the gun, ready to shoot whoever was going to come around the corner. But the person decided to go into the house instead. The brunette let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and walked to another side so she could peer into the house from a window and hopefully shoot the person. What she didn’t expect was to see Chloe who was in the middle of taking her chest protection off. Beca couldn’t help but stare at the redhead who revealed a torn apart shirt under the protection, which she proceeded to take off. The brunette blushed furiously as she saw the red bra her friend was wearing. Chloe proceeded to put the chest protection back on, tossing the torn shirt aside. 

Before Beca could stop herself, she had to sneeze, making Chloe snap her head up in alarm. They stared at each other, eyes wide in shock.

“Where you staring at me you creep?” Chloe hissed.

“What? No, I… wasn’t…” Beca trailed off, looking away with a huge blush. “Wait.” She added before disappearing. Soon, she stood in the doorway and started taking off her protection.

“What the hell are you doing now?!” The redhead asked, ushering the brunette to come in before peeking out to check if anybody saw them,

“Giving you a shirt!” Beca replied, unbuttoning her flannel before shrugging it off to hand it to Chloe.

“But.. Why?” The other girl asked, oblivious to the brunette’s intentions.

“You’re gonna be taking that off, won’t you?” The younger girl motioned towards Chloe’s chest protection. “Want to show everybody your bra?”

“Oh.” Chloe swallowed. “You got a point.” She took the protection off again, Beca politely avoiding her eyes this time. She threw on Beca’s flannel before zipping the chest protection back up again. “Thanks.” She said softly.

“Not a problem.” The brunette grinned. 

 

Their moment got interrupted by Mark who called out Flo’s name. “We have reached the final three. Beca, Chloe, Amy… Good luck.”

“Well, guess I better get going. Good luck. Hopefully I won’t shoot you too hard.” Beca winked before running off, leaving Chloe alone.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” The redhead called after her friend, but she was already gone. 

The redhead huffed, grabbing her gun and going up the stairs to get a better view of the arena. Maybe she could even spot Amy.

Once at the top, she spied through the window, seeing Beca walk around, ducked and gun ready. She had to smile at the brunette’s antics, and how serious she took this game. She gazed over the arena, looking at the other houses. Her eyebrows went up to her hairline when she spotted Amy, eating chips in a room, her gun at the window, ready to snipe whoever dared to come close to the house. Of course the blonde would be cheating. 

Chloe rolled her eyes with a smirk. She was going to steal the kill from Beca. She looked around for the safest route so neither of the girls would spot her. When she found it, she walked back down, slipping out of the house. She proceeded to walk towards the house Amy was hiding in, making sure to keep quiet so Beca wouldn’t know where she was headed. She made it to the house safely, with no one spotting her. With a smirk, she climbed the stairs, keeping low. Once the blonde was in sight, Chloe shot off a bullet, hitting the blonde’s chip bag.

“Hey!” Amy exclaimed, but she couldn’t react in time. Chloe shot the blonde three more times, successfully hitting the chest and leg.

“That’s what you get for sniping.” The redhead grinned.

“Whatever. It was getting boring anyways.” Amy said, getting up. “Hey shawshank! Chloe’s up here and all yours!” She exclaimed out of the window before turning around. “Have fun trying to win.” She smirked before she made her way down.

Chloe looked after her with a shocked expression. She couldn’t flee. Beca would shoot her as soon as she stepped a foot out of the house. She sunk down onto the stairs, taking her head in her hands. Beca’s scent that was caught in the flannel the brunette gave her earlier made its way to Chloe’s nose and she closed her eyes, taking a deep sniff. An idea hit her. If she recalled it correctly, there was a balcony on the floor above her. She could use that as her element of surprise.

Quickly, Chloe scrambled up onto her feet, making her way up. She could see Beca making her way to the house, so she sped up, climbing the stairs two steps at a time. Once she reached the second floor she climbed out of the window and stepped onto the balcony. It creaked underneath her, but she didn’t care. She grabbed her gun, holding it tightly. She wouldn’t lose against the brunette.

 

Beca made her way into the house, peering around every corner as she did so. She wouldn’t lose against Chloe. Once she established that the main floor was empty, she made her way up to the first floor. When she didn’t find the redhead there, she furrowed her brows. Chloe seemed to hide on the floor above. She smirked and slowly made her way up the stairs. She carefully looked around so that the redhead didn’t get a chance on shooting her first. When the room was also empty, Beca let out a confused noise. She was sure that the redhead hadn’t left the house, so where could she be?

Shaking her head, Beca walked over to the window, looking out of it over the arena.

“Hey there.” A voice suddenly spoke up, and before she could react, a yellow bullet hit her chest.

“What the…? You bitch!” The brunette yelped and jumped back from the window, raising her gun. “You sneaky little bastard!” 

Chloe giggled. “You’re welcome.” The redhead appeared at the window, firing off a shot, hitting Beca on her arm.

“Fuck! I’m not losing against you!” Beca exclaimed, jumping for cover. She grabbed a wooden piece that was lying around, using it as a shield. She made her way back to the window, smirking as she felt the paintball bullet hit the wood.

“Hey, unfair!” Chloe replied.

The brunette hopped onto the balcony, quickly firing off two bullets, hitting Chloe’s chest. “Now we’re even.” She smirked.

“Oh, Mitchell. You’re so dumb.” The redhead replied before pulling the trigger. 

Beca’s eyes went wide as she felt the bullet hitting her chest. She looked down, a yellow paint splatter apparent. She sunk onto her knees, dropping her gun. “No…” She whispered.

Chloe ripped her arms into the air as she cheered.

“The winner is Chloe Beale. Good game folks.” Mark announced and they could hear the Bellas cheering in the distance. The brunette’s eyes were still focused on her chest, staring at it in disbelief.

“Aw come on Becs, it was just a game.” The redhead cooed, patting Beca’s shoulder.

“I have been defeated…” The younger girl simply replied.

Chloe giggled. “Are you going to start a dramatic speech?”

“No. I will kick your ass at the next game, simple as that.” Beca said as she got up. “Be warned.”

“Okay.” The redhead grinned. The brunette hopped back into the house, holding out her hand so she could help Chloe back in. Just as the older girl wanted to take the hand, a cracking noise could be heard and she lost balance. She yelped, grabbing the window still.

“Woah!” Beca exclaimed. “You okay?”

Chloe nodded. “Wait..” Her eyes went wide. “I can’t move my foot! Becs! It’s stuck!”

“What?” The brunette leaned over the window and saw that the redhead’s foot had broken through the wood of the balcony. “Wait, let me help you.” She hopped over the window sill back onto the balcony, the wood creaking dangerously. “Oh shut up.” She said to it. The younger girl leaned down, inspecting it further. “Alright Chlo, bend your foot downwards so you can easily slip back up.” Beca instructed.

Chloe did as told, carefully lifting her leg. Her foot wouldn’t really fit through the gap however and she let out a frustrated whine.

“Turn it a little. I think it can fit through it better that way.” Beca instructed as she grabbed the redhead’s leg supportively. Together, they managed to pull it out and let out a sigh of relief. “Your leg is a little scratched up but it should be fine.” The brunette smiled.

They hopped back inside before making their way to the base where the other Bellas eagerly awaited them.

“Beca, I was really betting on you. With your set of skills you could’ve won.” Amy pouted. “Guess your paintball career has been too long in the past.”

“What…?” The brunette looked baffled at her blonde friend. “How do you know about that?”

Chloe’s interest was peaked, and she raised her eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, little shawshank here used to play paintball. She even competed on national level.” Amy said, proudly patting the girl in question on the shoulder. “She was a real pro.”

Beca blushed and looked down onto the floor. “It’s really nothing. I only did it for fun.”

“That explains how you already seemed so familiar with everything.” Stacie thought aloud and a few Bellas nodded.

“Let’s just. Get the focus away from me.” The brunette said in a uncomfortable high pitched voice. “Congrats Chloe. You basically beat a pro.” She smiled.

“Ah, you just made a mistake, that’s all. It’s no big deal…” The redhead blushed as the others patted her on her back.

“No big deal? If I would’ve beaten Beca I’d be dead where I am.” Emily laughed.

Beca cleared her voice. “Chloe, you still got your shirt in the house. I’ll get it real quick.” With that, she walked off.

“What happened to your shirt?” Aubrey asked, raising her eyebrow with a smirk.

“Stupid thorns ripped it. I decided to take it off and Beca handed me her flannel.” The redhead explained, holding up the hem of the fabric.

Some of the Bellas smirked knowingly.

 

When Beca returned, shirt in hand, they removed their protective gear and thanked Mark for the awesome game. They climbed back into the limousine, excitedly chatting about what had happened and how they want to spend the night.

Beca nudged Chloe who was deep in thought. “Are you okay? How is your foot?” She asked softly.

“It’s fine. The scratches don’t really hurt. Thanks for saving me!” The redhead smiled softly and proceeded to look out of the window behind her.

"Always." The brunette nodded, turning back to talk to the others.


	4. Steamy baths and best friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some confessions are being made~ Who's this mysterious woman Beca is gonna talk about? We will never know.. Jk. Just read the chapter. You're gonna love it. :p

When they arrived back at the hotel, the sun was already setting. Chloe smiled up at the sky.

“Beautiful, right?” She heard Beca say next to her. The other Bellas had already gone inside and the redhead realised with a blush that the brunette was waiting for her. 

“Yeah. It’s like the sky is on fire.” Chloe said with a slight smile. 

“Are you coming?” Beca asked after they were silent for a while. 

“Yeah, I was waiting for you.” The redhead answered and grabbed her arm, pulling her along inside. 

 

They had a very expensive looking dinner in the main hall of the hotel, and all had some wine. Chloe had a very apparent blush on her face and Beca rolled her eyes. “How are you already drunk, again?” She said with a chuckle. 

The redhead raised her eyebrows comically at her comment. “I’m not drunk! This is just...fun.” She said, raising her glass to her mouth and taking a huge swig. 

Beca groaned and busied herself with cutting into the steak she ordered, which was about the size of her torso. She noticed Chloe hadn’t touched her food in a while and poked her arm. “You gotta eat! Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you.” She said with a wink. 

The redhead blushed and opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. 

“What is it?” Beca asked worriedly. 

Chloe looked down at her plate embarrassed. “They put cranberry sauce on my meat.” She said softly. 

The brunette’s eyes widened. “Well, why didn’t you say something?! Imagine if you hadn’t noticed!” She growled, her eyes narrowing angrily. She looked around for a waiter and noticed a tall guy pouring Flo another drink, who blinked up at him with a big grin. “Hey, waiter!” She spoke up once he was done. 

The guy looked at her, surprised, and made his way over to her. “Is there a problem, Miss?” He asked, bowing down to be at her eye level, which made Beca even angrier. 

“Yes! First of all, stand up straight, I’m not a child. And second of all, my friend here is allergic to cranberry. It wasn’t listed as a sauce in the menu! She could have eaten that and totally died...or something!” She hissed angrily. 

The guy blushed and apologized, immediately making his way over to the kitchen to get new food for Chloe. 

The redhead looked at Beca, impressed. “Wow, thanks Beca.” She smiled. 

“You’re welcome. And next time, tell me sooner. “ The brunette replied. Chloe nodded and smiled. 

Not much later, her new food was brought over to their table and she dug in happily, plopping a fry into her mouth. Beca smiled proudly and returned to cutting her steak. 

 

After finishing their ice cream, the girls all went their separate ways to fresh up, some deciding to stay in tonight because they were tired. Chloe crashed down on the bed and stifled a yawn, putting her arm over her eyes. She kicked off her boots and let her feet fall over the side of the bed. 

Beca chuckled. “Well, I guess we’re staying in tonight.” She said, closing the door and sitting down on the bed next to Chloe. 

The redhead smiled and combed her hands through her hair. “I need to take a shower. My hair is filled with leaves and thorns.” She blew out a breath. 

Beca nodded, lying down on the pillow next to Chloe. “Suit yourself. I won’t creep up on you in the shower, unlike others.” She grinned suggestively. “I want to use the bath anyway. That shit’s fancy.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. “I want to use the bath!” She gasped. 

“Oh, no! The bath’s mine!” Beca replied, angrily. The redhead replied with a pout. “That’s not gonna work on me.” The brunette giggled, and she got up quickly. “You can shower after I’m done!” She said, running towards the bathroom and turning on the faucet. 

She undressed quickly and got into the soft bathing robe that came with their room. After putting some extremely sweet smelling soap in the bath, she sat down on the chair next to it to wait for the bath to fill. She looked around the fancy bathroom with a grin. The lights were dimmed and she had put some candles on the edge of the bath, making it all romantic. 

Beca slid in once the tub was full, the water being at the perfect temperature. She closed her eyes and let out a relaxed sigh. This felt really good, especially after all the cardio she had done. Maybe her muscles wouldn’t be so sore the next day.

 

Chloe sat on the bed, arms crossed, a scowl on her face. She hated it that Beca had snatched the bath away from her. It looked really fancy and was really big. Basically big enough that they could both fit into it. But… Beca didn’t want that, did she? They haven’t seen each other naked for six years. 

A slight blush appeared on Chloe’s face when she thought of the day where Beca was in the bathroom, just out of the shower, and the redhead entered, already naked. They both had yelped before the brunette grabbed a towel to cover herself. She was still shy about her appearance. Though Chloe did not mind how she looked naked at all. She sighed, unsure what to do.

 

After staring at the ceiling for a long while, she let out a long breath and whispered “Fuck it” before getting up. She entered the bathroom silently and a smile tugged at her lips when she saw Beca sitting in the bath, blowing bubbles from her hands. She closed the door behind her softly and looked at the brunette adoringly. The bubbles had surrounded her body, which made it look like she was wearing a bra made from bubbles. When Chloe wanted to turn around and leave again because her courage was failing her, she accidentally kicked a stray hairbrush that was lying on the floor, sending it flying through the room. The sound was deafening and the redhead’s head whipped up, her eyes connecting with Beca’s. 

She rubbed her neck awkwardly “Oh, there is my hairbrush.” She said with a blush on her face. 

Beca narrowed her eyes “Were you creeping up on me again?” She said between gritted teeth. 

Chloe let her hand fall to her side and cleared her throat. “Well...no. I actually wanted to ask if it would be okay for me to join you? I mean, there’s enough space for both of us. And I really wanted to take a bath.” She explained. 

“But. It’s my bath. With my bubbles.” The brunette pouted. The redhead looked at her with puppy eyes and the other girl groaned. “Fine. But don’t take up too much space.”

Chloe clapped her hands together excitedly, quickly undressing herself. Beca gulped as she averted her eyes, trying not to sneak a glance again this day.

She had her eyes pressed shut when she felt the water wobble, announcing that the redhead was sliding in. Soon after, she felt Chloe’s legs pressed against hers. 

“You can open your eyes now.” The older girl giggled.

“Oh. Yeah.” Beca blushed and opened them, looking into ocean blue eyes. “Hi.” She said awkwardly.

“Hey.” Chloe replied with a smile. “Here often?”

“As often as I can be.” The brunette shrugged, sinking a little more into the water.

“This is really nice.” Chloe said after a while, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head resting on it. “I feel like my muscles are all relaxed now.” 

“Yeah. I could really feel them relax.” The brunette smiled as she stretched her arms. “Though my shoulder kinda hurts here.” She pointed on the spot where it hurt.

Chloe shuffled forward in the bath. “Turn around?” She said softly and Beca turned around a little awkwardly. The redhead placed her fingers on Beca’s shoulder, feeling the brunette tense up as soon as she touched her. “Calm down. I know what I’m doing.” She said, a smile tugging at her lips. 

She massaged the spot with her thumbs, first softly but adding in some pressure after a while. She could immediately feel the knot in Beca’s shoulder muscles and tried to massage it out. 

Beca’s eyes had widened as soon as she felt the redhead’s tender fingers touch her, sending shockwaves through her body. If she could, she would have gotten out of the bath and taken the next cab home, but for some reason she couldn’t get herself to move or do anything when Chloe started massaging her. 

“How come you’re so good at this?” The brunette asked softly.

Chloe smirked. “Well, I followed a course in college. It was all about how to treat the body and how to make another person feel good.” She said softly. 

Beca’s eyebrows raised. “So, was it like a doctor thing?” She asked.

“Nope, it was a course on sex and the human body.” Chloe replied simply. 

The brunette felt her jaw drop and her thoughts clouded for a second, the word “sex” ringing through her ears. “O-Oh… Okay.” She said breathlessly. She pushed her legs together and took a deep breath. “What… uh… What did they teach you?” She asked after a while.

Chloe smiled. “Well, basically, we looked at sex in a very biological way. You know, what happens to the body, which kind of substances are released into your body, that kind of thing. By learning that, we learned how to see and understand a partner’s need and the signs their body gives off. You know?” She explained, biting her lip. 

Beca nodded, furiously wanting the redhead to continue talking about this. 

“Do you want me to explain more?” Chloe asked, while she was still massaging the brunette’s shoulder. 

“Yeah, sure. It’s pretty...interesting.” Beca replied, a blush very apparent on her face but oblivious to Chloe. 

“Okay well, the sexual-response cycle is divided into four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.” She continued. 

Beca nodded. “I can guess what two of those entail.. The excitement and the orgasm I mean. What are the others?” She asked. 

“Well, the plateau means when the excitement becomes so much that it is enjoyable. Your heart rate quickens and a “sex flush” may appear on the chest, stomach, shoulders, neck or face. Also, your muscles get tense.” She said, like she was reciting a grocery shopping list. “The resolution is that good, cuddly feeling you get after it’s all done. Many people fall asleep during this stage, because their bodies are just so relaxed.” She said with a smile. 

“Oh. I see.” Beca blushed. “I didn’t know there was so much going on. I just know that it feels good.”

Chloe smiled. Then her face fell as she thought about Chicago and how he hadn’t touched her in weeks, maybe months. Her hands stopped massaging Beca, who turned around sadly. 

“Aw, why did you stop? I was just getting into it.” She smirked. Her smirk faded quickly however when she saw how crestfallen Chloe looked. “Woa, are you okay?” She asked softly, poking the redhead’s knee. 

Chloe cleared her throat. “You probably don’t want to hear this, but… my sex life hasn’t been great lately. Like I told you yesterday, we’re living like ghosts. He...We… haven’t… in weeks.” She said softly, biting her lip. 

Beca visually cringed thinking about Chicago and Chloe together like that but quickly pushed the thought away as she realised her friend was really upset. “You need to talk to him about it, Chlo. I swear. I don’t want to upset you, but it sounds a lot like he is cheating on you.” She said, immediately regretting the words as soon as they left her mouth. 

Chloe blinked up at Beca, realisation dawning on her. “C-Cheating?” She asked, barely above a whisper. 

Beca bit her lip sadly. “Yeah...I mean, he is always away from home, hasn’t touched you in weeks and whenever you bring it up, he ghosts you? Sounds like cheating to me.” She said matter of factly. 

Chloe put her hand in front of her mouth and whimpered softly. “Oh god.” 

The brunette wanted to wrap her up in a hug so badly, but both the fact that her heart was beating loudly in her throat and they were both naked stopped her from doing so. Instead, she patted Chloe’s knee awkwardly. “It’ll be okay. You’ll have to talk to him about it though, okay?” She said with a sad smile. 

Chloe nodded, wiping her eyes. 

“Relationships are tough. Even when you’re not really in one.” Beca said bitterly.

The redhead’s ears perked up. “What do you mean?” She asked, interested.

The brunette sighed. “The beginning of my 5 years apart from everyone were crazy.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I wasn’t in the best shape. And one night, I decided to go out. I ended up going home with this girl, we had sex, no big deal. Typical one night stand. The morning after however, I had a breakdown. This would’ve been really awkward, but for some reason, she didn’t mind. She calmed me down, listened to my story and promised to be there for me. From then on, we were friends. But as soon as we were drunk again, we slept together again. This kept happening until it wasn’t even drunk anymore. Just whenever we felt like it. I realized that I had earned a friend with benefits kind of relationship, and honestly I didn’t mind. She was so great.” Beca chuckled sadly. “She made me forget the pain I felt. Whatever we had, it was something special.” The brunette paused, swallowing. “But then, one night, I had a breakdown. Like, really bad. I drank vodka straight from the bottle. I somehow managed to make my way to her apartment. I had a key, so I didn’t even bother to ring or knock. That was a mistake. I found her, screwing some guy on the couch. I felt hurt because I got reminded that we’re nothing serious. She still had her hookups beside me and lived her life. But for me, she was the only girl I slept with. I knew I liked her, and I thought she did too. But that sight, it made me sick. I ended up fighting with her, yelling at her for being a bad friend and preferring sex over being there for me, she called me a needy bitch and I just couldn’t with her anymore. I threw my key at her, walked out and started drinking more. I was so heartbroken that I once again lost someone very dear to me.” Beca wiped a tear away that escaped her eye. “I don’t know what in me did it, but I ended up stumbling to Jesse. He took me in, helped me through the heartbreak and eventually built me back up again.” She smiled softly to herself. “If it wasn’t for him, I might not be here anymore.”

Chloe blinked. This was a lot to take in. “I guess Jesse is a hero huh?” She asked softly. “I’m sorry you had to live through that. I hope she gets what she deserves for dumping someone so great.”

The brunette chuckled. “I don’t know. She still has some clothes of me I really liked. I wonder what she did with them.”

“If I was her I would’ve kept them in a shoe box, hidden somewhere. Not that I ever did that…” The redhead chuckled nervously.

Beca squinted her eyes at her friend. “Sure…”

Chloe averted her eyes, nervously looking around the room. The brunette had her eyebrow raised, watching the redhead as she leaned back.

 

After they were silent for a while, Chloe spoke up. “Hey Beca…. remember last night when we were dancing?” She asked softly. 

Beca nodded, one of her eyebrows raised. “What about it?” 

“I really wanted to kiss you back then.” Chloe said breathlessly. 

The brunette’s breath hitched. She stared at the redhead in shock, unable to form words.

“I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I don’t know what I was thinking.” The older girl quickly rambled, her eyes looking at her fiddling hands in the water.

 

Beca didn’t know what to do. Her mind was running wild. She knew that Chloe wanted to kiss her that night. She also knew that she made the right choice by blowing her off. She was engaged, for fucks sake! But that didn’t change the fact that the brunette wanted to kiss her, too. Badly in fact. But Beca swore to herself when her parents separated that she would never be involved in any kind of cheating. And if she were to kiss the redhead, that would be cheating. But staring at the girl in front of her, nervous and unsure, she felt every caution flying away. Her brain short circuited and the next thing she knew she lunged forward, pressing her lips onto Chloe’s.

The redhead yelped in surprise but immediately melted into the kiss, feeling like finally, after 5 years, she was herself again and the world was safe and beautiful. She closed her eyes as she deepened the kiss, her arms wrapping around Beca’s neck and their bodies pressed against each other. Beca heard the redhead whimper as her tongue ran over Chloe’s bottom lip. The redhead quickly opened her mouth and allowed Beca to slip her tongue in. The brunette cradled the other girl’s face, her thumb stroking her cheek softly. Chloe didn’t know how long they were making out for, it could have been 15 minutes or 15 seconds, but after a while they had to let go of each other to catch their breath. Chloe had a bright red blush on her face and didn’t dare to look at Beca, averting her eyes to the door instead. Her breathing was short and she tried to calm herself down. “Woa…” was all she could manage to say. 

Beca’s eyes were still half closed, relishing the feeling of Chloe’s lips against hers. Then, realization dawned on her. “Oh no oh no oh no. FUCK!” She yelled.

The redhead looked at her with a baffled and scared face. “What is it?” She asked carefully.

“I just broke my fucking promise. Fuck. How could I be so stupid?!” The brunette slid back to her side of the bathtub, as far away as possible.

Chloe looked at Beca, a little upset. “Promise? What promise?” She asked softly. She couldn’t believe what just happened had just happened and she felt like she had taken either a lot of shots or some sort of weird drug. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest, almost like it was alive again finally and wanted to make sure everyone could hear. 

Beca closed her eyes, not able to look at the redhead anymore. “Well, I promised myself I would never, ever be the cause for someone to cheat or to cheat on someone.” She said, furrowing her brows sadly. 

Chloe let out a deep breath. “Well, I mean, if Chicago is cheating, who says I can’t do it back? It was just a kiss, Beca.” She said. Her heart was telling her it was not  _ just a kiss _ at all, but she understood why Beca was upset. “No one has to know. This stays between us.” She added, trying to smile. 

The brunette nodded. “Of course.” After a while, she spoke up again. “Well, that’s it folks. I’m gonna get out.” Beca got up and stepped out, grabbing a towel before drying herself off rather quickly. She grabbed a bathrobe before she headed out, leaving Chloe alone in the room.

 

The redhead sat in the water for a long time after Beca left, staring at the wall. When she finally got out, the water had already returned to a cold temperature. She shivered as she wrapped the white towel around her, sighing sadly. She felt bad for Chicago, even if he was cheating on her and she felt even worse for Beca, who was now angry at her. She punched the wall angrily, whimpering softly as she bruised her knuckles. She dried off and put her hand on the door handle, taking a deep breath. As she opened the door, the hotel room was completely dark. When her eyes got used to the darkness, she could see a lump in the bed which she could make out to be Beca. She tried to be as silent as possible as she slipped out of the hotel room, scurrying down the hallway in her short white towel. She stopped at Aubrey’s door and knocked urgently. 

 

Aubrey opened the door with a confused face. She was wearing pajamas and had her hair pulled into overnight curlers. Her eyebrows shot up as soon as she saw Chloe, pulling her inside. “Is this a weird stripper act or did someone just steal your clothes?” She asked when she pushed Chloe down to sit on the bed. 

The redhead felt tears well up in her eyes, her lower lip trembling. “I fucked up, Bree. I fucked up big time.” She said softly, the tears now running down her cheeks. 

Aubrey sat down next to her, wrapping her arm around her friend. “What happened, honey?” 

Chloe took a deep breath and started talking. “So, last night when I was really drunk and we were dancing, I nearly kissed Beca. I don’t know what I was thinking. But she refused. That’s when she had the panic attack. And… just now. We… we took a bath together…”

Aubrey held up her hand, interrupting her. “Hold on, you took a bath together? Why?” 

Chloe blushed. “Well, Beca wanted to use it and so did I, but she was quicker and got in and then I just decided to join her because I wanted to take a bath too.” 

The blonde raised her eyebrows at her friend, smirking knowingly. 

“Shut up!” Chloe said, wrapping her arms around her bare knees. “Anyway, we talked about a lot of stuff and then I decided to bring up the fact that I almost kissed her and then… she… she kissed me.” She ended her sentence with a whisper. 

Aubrey’s mouth fell open, but she quickly shut it again. “Oh… okay. Well, uhm, was it a good kiss?” She asked with a grin. 

Chloe felt her cheeks flush red and nodded. “But I’m engaged! I can’t just kiss my old crush and get away with it. She seemed really upset too. Oh god.” She said and buried her face in her hands.

Aubrey bit her lip and hugged the redhead tight. “But Chloe, I think you’re forgetting something. She kissed YOU. How can she be angry at you when she was the one that started it?” She said while she was stroking the redhead’s still damp hair. 

Chloe looked up with tears in her eyes. “Wait… you’re right. But, why would she be angry at me then?” 

Aubrey felt a smile tug at her lips. “I think she’s angry at herself, not at you. How about you sleep here tonight and talk to her about it in the morning? You need to get changed, honey, you’re shivering like a leaf.”

The redhead nodded and got up. Aubrey presented her with a oversized t-shirt she got from her suitcase and got her some underwear. She quickly changed into them and Aubrey pushed her into the bed, tucking her in. “Just go to sleep now, tomorrow we will fix this mess.” She said, kissing the redhead’s forehead. Chloe nodded and turned to her side, closing her eyes sadly. 

 

The next day Beca woke up, stretching before opening her eyes. She sleepily grabbed her phone from the nightstand, seeing that it was 9 am. She put it back before rolling over, snuggling back into the blanket. She instinctively reached out to wrap her arm around Chloe, a habit she never really got rid of, and frowned when she couldn’t feel anything. She opened her eyes and found the bed empty. She frowned and sat up in her bed. “Where are you Chloe?” She huffed.

Deciding she should wake up, she ordered coffee from the room service and a small breakfast. She leaned back against the headboard, sighing. Yesterday was… Crazy, to say the least. She fucking kissed Chloe. After 11 years. Her fingers wandered up to her lips and she traced over them, savoring the feeling of the redhead’s lips. It felt so right, but also so wrong. Chloe was engaged! Promised to Chicago, to whom she would return after this reunion was over. Beca slapped the blanket next to her and then herself. “Stupid.” She muttered.

She got pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a knock. Reluctantly, she got up, answering the door. She accepted her breakfast and gave the guy a small tip before closing the door again, walking to the bed. She made herself comfortable and dug in, the silence of the room engulfing her.

 

Chloe stirred awake and groaned as the sunlight shone brightly in her eyes. She felt an arm wrapped around her and smiled. Then she remembered what happened last night and opened her eyes again, seeing Aubrey snuggled up to her. She bit her lip sadly. “Bree, are you awake?” She whispered softly. 

Aubrey stirred and her eyes fluttered open. “Huh?” She said in a sleepy voice. 

“I asked if you were awake” Chloe said and she couldn’t stop herself from smiling down at the blonde. “I didn’t have you pegged for a cuddler.” She said, motioning down to the blonde’s arm which was wrapped tightly around her stomach. 

Aubrey shrugged. “I just felt like you needed the support.“ She said, smiling as well. 

Chloe laughed, stroking the blonde’s arm softly. “Thanks for taking care of me, Bree. You’re the best.” 

Aubrey grinned back to her. “Always. Do you want breakfast?” She said while getting up. 

“Sure. “ Chloe replied, snuggling up to the duvet tiredly. 

 

Their breakfast arrived not much later and they ate in silence. When they were done, Aubrey patted the redhead’s knee. “Well, it’s time to face the monster now.” She said, smiling apologetically. 

“Right…” Chloe replied, biting her lip. She shuffled out of the bed, standing in the middle of the room in her underwear awkwardly. 

“Maybe put some pants on first.” Aubrey commented and threw her a pair of jeans. Chloe slipped into them and then shot Aubrey a nervous look. 

“I’ll meet you in the central hall in a few. If something goes wrong, just leave.” The blonde said, encouragingly. 

Chloe nodded and opened the door nervously, shutting it behind her and making her way back to the hotel room Beca and her shared. She debated knocking or not but decided that Beca could be up to anything and softly rapped her knuckles on the door. 

“Coming!” The brunette called out and got up, putting her tray aside. She opened the door and froze when she saw Chloe.

“Hi…” The redhead said awkwardly.

“Hey…” Beca squinted her eyes at her friend. “Those are not your clothes.”

“Yeah, Aubrey borrowed them to me.” Chloe said sheepishly and fidgeted with her hands.

The brunette stepped aside, letting the redhead in before closing the door. “So that’s where you were. Any special occasion?” She asked bitterly.

“Just… talking. I didn’t want to wake you yesterday, so I put on my towel and slipped out.” Chloe scratched the back of her neck.

“You walked through the hotel basically naked?!” Beca’s eyes went wide.

“No, the towel was covering most of my private parts.” The redhead quickly ushered out. “But yeah, I couldn’t sleep naked. So Bree borrowed me her clothes.”

“Did you share a bed?” The brunette didn’t even try to hide the jealousy anymore.

“Yes. It was the only bed in the room.” Chloe rolled her eyes before plopping down on a chair next to the window that offered a view over Barden. 

Beca clenched her jaw before joining her friend. “Alright.” She said, looking out of the window.

Chloe cleared her throat, looking at the brunette with sad eyes. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable...and I’m sorry that you broke your promise.” She said softly. 

Beca’s eyes snapped up. “You… You’re sorry!? Why? I kissed you. I’m the bad guy here.” She said angrily. 

Chloe raised her eyebrows, realising the brunette had a point. “You’re not a bad guy. We both fucked it up. I’m sorry.” She repeated. 

Beca let out a long sigh. “Please stop saying that you’re sorry. It’s fine. It happened and we have to deal with that. You need to talk to Chicago about it okay? Promise me that.” She said, looking at Chloe with sad eyes. 

The redhead nodded, a sad smile forming on her lips. “Our relationship was doomed to fail. Like you said after your performance at the USO. I guess you were right, huh?” She said sadly. 

Beca opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. They sat in silence for a while, both not knowing what to say. 

After what seemed like hours, they were interrupted from their thoughts when Beca’s phone rang. The brunette hurried to pick it up and Chloe could hear Amy’s voice ring loudly through the speaker. “Yoooo, Becs. I have a fan here for you, she really wants to meet you. She’s really hot.” The blonde said loudly and Beca groaned. She did not have the energy for this right now. 

“Fine, I’ll be down in a minute.“ She said, rolling her eyes. She hung up the phone and Chloe looked at her questiongly. “Apparently, the fans have found out where I am staying. Amy told me there is a fan waiting for me downstairs. I guess I’ll have to go meet them.” She explained and Chloe nodded understandingly. 

“I’ll come with you. I promised Aubrey to come down to the lobby anyway.” She said, and they both got up and left the hotel room. They took the elevator down, not daring to look at each other. 

 

When the elevator dingend and the doors opened, Beca let out a sigh. “It’s probably one of those crazy stalker fans. I really don’t want to meet this girl.” 

Chloe smiled reassuringly. “You got us and hotel security. They can throw her out if she’s being too crazy.”

“You got a point. Let’s go.” The brunette tapped her nose and started walking.

When they walked around the corner so they could see the lobby, Beca froze, her eyes wide. Chloe didn’t notice and continued walking, looking for Aubrey.

The brunette couldn’t move. When the redhead finally did turn around, she saw into Beca’s pale face. She raised an eyebrow, wondering what had her friend so shocked.

Then, the fan who was standing next to Amy looked up, and her eyes met Beca’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is it? (; (;


	5. Broken glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can say about this: Well, would you look at that. Enjoy them feels man.

Their eyes connected and Beca felt the whole world come to a stop. “Beth?” She choked out.

The blonde girl in question smiled brightly, walking over to the brunette. “Hey. Long time no see.” She said.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Beca asked through gritted teeth, backing away a little.

“I came to see you! Nothing wrong with that. Plus, I’ve been wanting to reach out for a while. What a coincidence that we’re both in Georgia right now. When I saw that you were back at your old university I had to immediately come over. I’m glad you’re still here.” Beth smiled sweetly.

 

Chloe watched the interaction confused. She looked over to Amy who just shrugged before walking away, leaving them alone. The redhead turned her attention back to the conversation, unsure what to do yet.

“I’ll ask you again. What are you really doing here?” The brunette exclaimed angrily.

“Same answer as before. I wanted to see you. I missed you.” The blonde said softly, taking Beca’s hand in her own.

The brunette yanked her hand away. “You had 4 years to reach out again. You chose not to. Why do you want me now? What is it? My fame? My fortune?” She glared at the girl in front of her, winning a little confidence back.

“You’ve… Just been everywhere lately. Life has not been the same without you. I deeply regret shutting you out. Believe me.” Beth said softly.

Realization dawned on Chloe. This was the girl Beca was talking about yesterday. The girl who ruined her life once again. She sucked in a deep breath before walking over, standing next to her friend. “Well, as you can see, Beca doesn’t want  _ you _ .” She spoke up.

“Who are you?” The blonde eyed Chloe up and down. “Oh, don’t tell me you happen to be Chloe. Beca.” She turned to the smaller girl. “Don’t tell me you’re friends with her again. She’ll screw you all over again. You know it.”

“Things have changed, Beth.” The brunette said firmly.  

Chloe felt like someone was squeezing her heart when Beth spoke to Beca. Realisation slowly dawned on her and she felt like she was going to either faint or throw up. She was the reason Beca had been so down all these years ago. She had been the reason Beca hooked up with Beth. It was all clear to her now. But she couldn’t grasp why. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak. “I… I have to go.” She said simply and walked off. She was glad that she had her back to the other girls so they couldn’t see her scrunched up face and the tears welling up in her eyes.

 

“See what you did? You just ruined a possible reconnection!” Beca said angrily, poking Beth against her chest. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you and Chloe were actually going to reconnect.” The blonde spoke softly.

“Well, this is a fucking reunion. Reunites people who have lost touch. And Chloe and I were actually able to leave things in the past and get on with our friendship. We both missed each other and I’m glad to have her back.” The brunette scowled.

“Well. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” Beth asked.

“I’ll forgive you when I make things right between Chloe and I again. But now back to you.” Beca sighed. “Do you really want to reconnect?”

“Yes, yes I do Becs. I… I still regret not being there for you when you needed me the most. You showed me that I was being selfish. I couldn’t really function the months after you left. I always kept your stuff in a box and got it out whenever I really missed you.” The blonde averted her eyes. “I realized that… My feelings for you weren’t platonic anymore.”

“That’s a little late to realize that.” Beca breathed out.

“I know. Anyways, your recent stories finally gave me the motivation to reach out to you again. I wanted to ask for your forgiveness and maybe…” Beth trailed off. “How about this. I’ll pick you up at 7 tonight and we go out. Like we used to. Search for a bar and get stupid drunk, laugh at our insiders and play with some fuckboy’s feelings. Does that sound good?”

The brunette bit her lip. She could feel that the blonde was being sincere. Beca knew she had nothing to lose, so she sighed. “Fine. Just this night at first though.”

Beth grinned. “Okay. You won’t be disappointed!” She clapped her hands excitedly before wrapping the brunette in a hug.

Beca froze and awkwardly patted the blonde on the back. “Alright, pick me up here at 7.”

The blonde nodded before walking out, waving at the brunette. 

Beca sighed before turning around. Now she had to find Chloe and reassure her that everything was alright.

 

Chloe was sitting at the hotel bar, clutching a glass of tequila. Aubrey was sitting next to her, looking at her worriedly. 

“So, she just came up to Beca?” She asked after a while. 

Chloe nodded sadly. “She came up like she owned the place.“ She said, her eyes angry. She sipped her drink sadly and sniffed, wiping her eyes. “Fuck her!” She spat, slapping her hand down on the counter. Aubrey looked around, not knowing what to do, when her eyes met Beca’s. 

The brunette was making her way over to them and Aubrey shook her head warningly. However, Chloe noticed and followed Aubrey’s line of sight. Her eyes met Beca’s. “Oh.” She said softly, pushing her drink away embarrassedly. Beca approached them nervously. 

“Sorry about that, Chloe. I did not expect her to turn up.” She said softly, joining them at the bar and eyeing the redhead apologetically.

“That’s fine. It’s not your fault. Did you tell her to leave?” She asked hopefully. 

Beca shrugged. “No, we are meeting at the bar tonight. She told me she was sorry, so maybe we’ll reconcile.” She said, smiling at Chloe. 

The redhead swallowed. “I’m glad. I hope you’ll make up.” She said softly. 

“Drinking before noon is not that healthy.” The brunette commented after a while.

“Ah, I felt like it. It’s not like I do it every day.” Chloe shrugged.

Beca raised her eyebrow questioningly, but the redhead shook her head. They continued to chat and agreed on gathering the Bellas to go on a lunch date together. They texted them, and soon after, they all met in the lobby and made their way to their usual diner.

 

Once everyone had placed their orders, Amy turned to Beca. “So, how were things with your “fan”?” She smirked, winking. “Seemed like you knew each other well.”

Beca choked on the coke she was drinking. “We were friends, yes.” She coughed out. “She wanted to reconnect, so we’re gonna meet up tonight.”

“She didn’t look like a friend to me. I started getting some sexual vibes, almost as bad as the vibes between Chloe and you.” The blonde shrugged

Now it was the redhead’s turn to choke. “What?” She asked, blushing.

“Well, I mean, we all know you barged in to her shower the second time you met.” Amy said with a grin. 

Chloe cleared her throat. “That was only because I heard her sing and didn’t want to miss the chance to recruit her!” 

“You scared the living shit out of me though. I thought I would get raped or something.” Beca rolled her eyes. 

Their orders arrived and they started eating, catching up more about their lives.

“So, I’m guessing you’re all terribly sad about the fact that tomorrow we’re going to have to go separate ways again?” Stacie spoke up after a while.

“Don’t even remind me.” CR pouted. “It was really great to get together with you again.”

“I agree. Thanks Em, for having the idea.” Flo smiled.

“Yeah Legacy, without you we would still be missing out on each other. I missed you idiots.” Beca smiled sheepishly. “And I’m really sorry for not keeping in touch. I’ll make special room for you in the future so we can talk any time.”

“Aw guys! I just felt like it to see you all again. And I know how you probably all missed each other.” Emily smiled widely.

“Well, I mean… You did help Beca and I to… reconnect again. Out of all the people here, Beca and I talked the least in those 5 years.” Chloe admitted softly, staring at her food.

The brunette in question froze, her head whipping around to the redhead. “Y-yeah..” She smiled, uncertain. “Thanks.” 

After they finished their lunch, they decided to go to the pool. The hotel had a fancy spa department and it would be a shame to not use it. They all made their way to their rooms to change into their bathing suits. 

Chloe and Beca entered their room silently, the awkwardness still very apparent between them. The redhead dug through her suitcase, finally grabbing the red and white striped bikini and tugging it out from underneath her clothes. “I’ll change in the bathroom.” She said softly to Beca and shut the door behind her, locking it. She slipped out of Aubrey’s clothes and put on her frilly bikini. She clasped the top on and tied it together behind her neck. She really loved this bathing suit. It was really cute. She eyed herself in the mirror, her eyes puffy and tired looking. She splashed her face with some cold water and took a deep breath. “Just one more day. You can do this.” She cheered herself on. 

 

Beca watched Chloe disappear into the bathroom before she kneeled down in front of her suitcase, looking for her own bathing suit. She grabbed her black bikini and put it on, twirling in front of the mirror. “Still got the looks.” She smirked at herself before she finger gunned the girl in the mirror.

Chloe unlocked the door and took a deep breath before entering the room again. She froze when she saw Beca standing with her back to her, already changed into her black bikini. The sight of her milky white skin and bare legs made a blush creep up Chloe’s face, but she shook her head quickly and cleared her throat. “You look great!” She said to Beca.

The brunette whirled around. “Thanks.” She blushed. “That bikini is so you.”She commented, motioning over Chloe’s body. “It suits you.”

They smiled at each other awkwardly. “Shall we… go?” Chloe asked.

“Yeah, of course.” Beca nodded.

They threw on bathrobes and walked to the elevator. “Wait!” The redhead called out. “I forgot something.” 

The brunette raised her eyebrow but handed Chloe the keys. The redhead dashed away, only to return a few minutes later. “Now we can go.” She smiled.

“What did you get?” Beca asked as they stood in the elevator.

“You’re gonna laugh at me.” Chloe replied shyly.

“No, I won’t.” The brunette reassured her.

“I got swimming goggles. The water hurts my eyes.” The redhead looked awkwardly at the elevator’s buttons.

“Ah, I get you. Chlorine water is not for everyone.” Beca shrugged.

 

The elevator arrived and they got out, entering the pool area.

“Woah.” Beca whistled. “This is huge.” 

“And it’s all for us pitches!” Amy spoke up behind them.

“Nice.” The brunette grinned. She shrugged off her bathrobe. “Last one in the water is a loser!” She exclaimed and dashed towards the pool.

Chloe grinned as Beca dived in, making the water explode in waves. They all jumped in, laughing as Amy nearly tripped and fell head first into the pool. Chloe squeezed her nose close with her free hand as she jumped in, closing her eyes as she hit the water. She kicked her legs and came up for air, taking a deep breath. She blinked her eyes open and saw Aubrey crash into the water next to her. When everyone was in, they splashed each other with the water and laughed at each other. 

Chloe swam over to Stacie, who was hanging out by the side of the pool with a grin on her face. “Hey.” The redhead said softly, spluttering as she swam towards the brunette. 

Stacie smiled back at her. “What’s up?” She asked the redhead. 

Chloe mirrored the way Stacie was leaning on the side of the pool and shrugged. “Just wanted to see what you were doing here.” She said with a smile. 

“I’m just watching from a distance. I wish this reunion lasted longer. In two days, I’ll have to be back at work and everything begins again. I guess I was really craving some time away from the daily drag that my life has become.” She admitted with a sad smile. 

Chloe nodded understandingly. “I get what you mean. I would give up everything to be back here, to be young and carefree. I really miss being a Bella and having so many friends.” She said softly. 

Stacie patted her arm knowingly and smiled at her. “We’ll have to meet up sometime. I’m sure I can make time to visit you in New York soon.” She said and Chloe beamed at her. 

“I’d like that!”

Their conversation was interrupted when Emily swam over to to them and grabbed Stacie’s wrist. “I need you help. We’re doing a water fight and you’re super tall so I need to sit on your shoulders.” She explained and pulled the brunette along. Chloe chuckled and relaxed back into the side of the pool, closing her eyes. 

 

Beca was finishing up a water wrestle with Stacie and Emily, pushing the brunette so she tumbled from Stacie’s shoulders, falling into the water. She cheered and high fived Amy, who supported her weight easily. She slipped from the blonde’s shoulders and beamed at her. “We’re an unbeatable team.” She laughed and Amy gave her a thumbs up. Beca smiled at her friends when her eyes fell upon Chloe, who was sitting on the side of the pool, absentmindedly swaying her legs in the water and her eyes looking down at her lap sadly. Beca swam over to the redhead and heaved herself from the pool so she could sit next to her. “Hey, what’s up?” She asked softly, poking the redhead’s cheek. 

Chloe looked up and shrugged. “Just thinking I guess.” She whispered. 

Beca raised her eyebrows, pursing her lips. “You look like your high school sweetheart just broke up with you. What are you thinking about?” She asked, worriedly. 

Chloe smiled sadly. “I guess I just miss it here. I took having so many friends for granted. I don’t….I don’t have any friends in New York. Not one.” She said softly. 

“Really?” The brunette looked shocked. “You’re so easy going and open, everybody, literally everybody, would instantly become your friend. I don’t get why you don’t have friends.” 

“Yeah.. I guess I have Chicago’s friends, but… They’re not the nicest to me. Always talking down to me. And they all have really conservative point of views. Like, the woman belongs in the kitchen and has to serve her husband. That kind of view.” The redhead explained. “And I don’t know how to make friends… I guess I’m kind of a loser, huh?” She said softly, resting her head on her knees. 

Beca felt something tug on her heart and wanted to wrap the redhead up in a big hug and tell her she’d never have to be alone again. But she couldn’t promise her that. She cleared her throat instead. “Well, You know that you always have us, right? We might be far apart, but all of us are there for you. We’re your family.”  She said, squeezing the redhead’s hand reassuringly. “And you’re definitely not a loser. If you hadn’t come up to me in my first year, I would have failed my studies and probably disappointed the hell out of my dad. And I would have never gotten the chances I got now. Khaled wouldn’t have a clue who I was. You know, my whole career happened thanks to you.” She said, hoping that Chloe realised how much she meant to the brunette. 

Chloe blinked at Beca, her hand squeezing the brunette’s. “I just knew you were amazing the moment I saw you at the activities fair. And when I heard you sing, I knew you would grow to do great things.” She said, smiling. Her heart flooded with warmth and love and she wished she could explain to Beca what she was feeling, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t fair to the brunette and it wasn’t fair to Chicago. So she tried to push her feelings away and swallowed. “I hope we’ll be able to stay in contact. I’d like that a lot.” She said with a sad smile. 

Beca nodded. “I promise I won’t shut you out again. Okay?” 

Chloe smiled and nodded, feeling at loss for words. They sat in silence for a while, both their minds running wild with unspoken thoughts. Amy came swimming up to them and splashed a wave of water over to them. “Hey, weirdos. Are you going to stop making out and join us? “ She said with a smirk. 

Beca rolled her eyes and got up, holding out her hand for Chloe. “We jump together?” She asked, smiling kindly. 

Chloe nodded and took the brunette’s hand, pulling herself up. They stood on the side of the pool, their hands clasped together. “1, 2, 3!” They counted together and jumped in, splashing Amy in the process. 

 

Beca was chatting away to Jessica and Ashley and smiled as they told her about how hard it was to raise twins. “When one starts crying, the other one joins in!” Ashley said tiredly, and Jessica patted her shoulder. 

“At least we have the whole thing just in one time. I can’t imagine going through this and then when you want another kid, making the decision to go through all of it again.” She said with a smile.

Chloe had gotten her goggles, diving underwater happily and looking around the pool like a hungry shark. She spotted Beca’s legs and smirked. She could almost hear the Jaws theme in her head while she pushed herself off from the pool side and swam underwater towards Beca. Her slender fingers closed around Beca’s ankle, pulling her down with her. 

The brunette let out a surprised yelp as she went underwater, feeling the person drag her away. She struggled around, eventually freeing herself from the grip and dived back up again. She coughed as Chloe came up next to her, giggling. “You bitch!” The brunette pouted, splashing her with a huge wave.

The redhead inhaled the water and coughed loudly, choking. Beca looked at her in alarm and patted her back. Chloe put her hand in front of her mouth as she coughed and started laughing. “I’m a shark!” She said, giggling. 

The brunette rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. “Well, you scared the shit out of me, that’s for sure. You’re going to give me a heart attack one day.” She said, poking the redhead’s arm. 

Chloe smiled apologetically. “Sorry. I just wanted to surprise you. These goggles are great!” 

Beca giggled. “You look like a five year old with them on. Dork.” She said, splashing the redhead once more. Chloe smiled proudly and they both laughed. 

 

After a while, they agreed to go into the sauna. They were met with hot air as they walked into the room, seating themselves onto the benches. Beca chose to lie down on one, taking up as much space as she could.

“Ass.” CR commented as she sat down somewhere else. The brunette just stuck out her tongue at her.

“Saunas are good for your health.” Emily spoke up. “Your skin is cleansed, toxins are flushed and it can relieve stress. You can burn calories too!”

“Yeah, but it’s not helpful for weight loss. You might lose a pound or two, but with your next meal that pound is added again.” Jessica chimed in.

“Wow, what am I doing in here then?” Amy asked jokingly.

“You’re relaxing.” Chloe shrugged. She had chosen to sit down in the little space Beca left on the bench.

“I for sure am.” The brunette smiled as she laid her head in the redhead’s lap. “Feels like a nice preparation for tonight.” 

Chloe’s breath hitched as she felt Beca’s damp curls splayed out over her legs. “Well, don’t come home too late.” She said softly.

“I won’t.” The brunette smiled up at her.

“You’re actual wives!” Stacie rolled her eyes.

“Shut up.” Beca retorted.

Chloe let her head fall back, trying no to be too jealous of the fact that Beca was going out with Beth tonight. It didn’t make sense for her to be jealous, but she still felt her stomach pool with anger whenever Beca brought her up. She closed her eyes, furrowing her brows. She hoped Beth wouldn’t hurt Beca’s feelings again. She promised herself that she would be ready to support Beca if she did. 

 

They showered after the were in the sauna for a while. Chloe let out a shaky breath as she turned on the ice cold shower. She hated this part of the whole sauna experience. Her whole body went into panic mode as soon as the water hit her back and she clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stay under the ice cold water stream. When she couldn’t handle it anymore, she stepped away and turned the shower off, her teeth clattering. She quickly wrapped her rainbow coloured towel around her body and tried to warm herself up again. 

Beca looked at her with amused eyes while she stood under the cold water, relaxing. “It’s not that cold.” She said as she turned off the shower and wrapped her towel around her as well. 

Chloe shivered and scowled at Beca. “You’re just different. My body can’t handle that cold.” She said angrily. 

The brunette raised her hands apologetically. “Wow, don’t get angry.” She said with a grin. She dried off her hair and saw Chloe do the same. “Ready to go? You can help me find an outfit for tonight.” She said, grabbing the redhead’s arm and pulling her along into the elevator. 

 

Chloe has had it. She was getting frustrated. Beca looked good in everything, why was she not satisfied? Besides, it wasn’t like she was going on a date. 

When the brunette came out, wearing black ripped jeans, a graphic black and white t-shirt and a grey and white flannel to go with it, the redhead’s breathing stopped. She didn’t know why, but this outfit looked so good on Beca. For her, the other girl was drop dead gorgeous. Hot even.

“How do I look?” Beca asked shyly.

“Good, even more than good, perfect. Please, for the love of god, just go with this one.” Chloe pleaded.

“Alright, no need to sound so desperate. Also, why are you still wearing your bikini? It’s kind of distracting.” The brunette chuckled, looking at herself in the mirror. 

The redhead shrugged. “I’ll probably shower after you’re gone anyway, no need to get dressed for the 5 minutes you’re still here.” She explained. 

“Okay, then I better head down.” Beca said nervously and started putting on her black converse.

“I hope you have fun tonight.” The redhead said softly, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Thanks. You good without me?” The brunette asked, concerned.

“I’ll be fine. I got other friends too you know?” Chloe chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Now go, you don’t want to keep her waiting.” 

The other girl nodded nervously. She walked to the door, waving to her friend before turning around, leaving the apartment.

 

When Beca arrived in the lobby, her breath got caught in her throat. Beth was standing there, wearing the dress the brunette liked so much, holding a salmon rose in her hand. 

“Well. Hey.” Beca said awkwardly.

“Hi.” Beth smiled. “I hope the rose isn’t too much?”

“Since I don’t know the meaning I’m just going to hope it doesn’t mean anything dirty.” The brunette shrugged, accepting it.

“What? Never!” The blonde smiled innocently. “Well, I hope you haven’t had dinner yet. We’re going to a nice restaurant beforehand.” She explained, looping her arm through Beca’s and guiding her towards a cab that was standing there.

“I have a feeling you’re trying to seduce me.” The brunette squinted her eyes at the woman.

“I’m just trying to win my friend back.” Beth shrugged.

 

They drove to the restaurant, making small talk on the way. Once they arrived, they were seated by the window. The waiter lit a candle, smiling politely at the two women before walking away, only to return with some fancy looking wine. He poured each of them a glass before taking their orders.

“Okay, this is… Something.” Beca chuckled nervously once the waiter was gone.

“Only the best for the best.” Beth winked. 

“Sorry for being so tense and nervous and just awkward. I’m still.. Trying to adjust to this.. Situation.” The brunette grinned awkwardly, taking a swig from her wine.

“Yeah, I kind of ran you over. Sorry about that.” The blonde chuckled. “So, what have you been up to? And how come you and Chloe talk again?”

“Well… I’ve been getting more famous, I guess. Worked together with many artists, I became friends with some of them, and uh.. Yeah.” Beca bit her lip thoughtfully. “And Emily hit me up a few months ago, talking about some kind of reunion. And I decided to come since I’ve been an ass and didn’t stay in contact with any of them. And… I guess after the awkwardness had been conquered, Chloe and I slipped back into our old friendship. It’s still kind of bumpy but… We’re working on it.” 

“Oh, I see.” Beth nodded understandingly. “I’m glad though. Glad that… You could build yourself up again.” She said softly.

The other girl let out an uneasy chuckle. “Yeah.”

Their food came and they dug in. By the end of the meal, Beca became a little more comfortable with the whole situation and felt more at ease. It could also be coming from the wine that she kept drinking, feeling the buzz relaxing her. When they finished they paid and stumbled out of the restaurant, laughing about a story Beth told. They hailed a cab and told it to drive to the next bar.

 

Chloe wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t feel like going to Aubrey, and she honestly didn’t want to talk to any of the other Bellas. She looked down at herself, realising she was still wearing her bikini but didn’t care enough to change. Instead, she slipped on a hotel bathrobe and took the elevator down to the hotel bar, ordering herself a Sex on the Beach. She stirred it absentmindedly, gulping it down rather quickly. An idea came to her mind.

“Hey.” She asked the bartender. “Can you order whole bottles?”

The girl looked at her bewildered, but nodded. “Yes, from your room service. Not from me.”

“Alright, thanks!” The redhead smiled before getting up, going back to her hotel room. She picked up the phone and ordered a vodka bottle. She also ordered a coke so she wouldn’t have to taste the vodka alone.  

Soon after, the room service came, and she gladly accepted the bottles, waving the guy with a smile before closing the door. She shrugged off her bathrobe before grabbing a glass that was on top of the mini fridge and started mixing the drinks together. She took a sip, wincing as she realized she put too much vodka in. She didn’t care however and downed the glass.

She mixed another and crawled onto the bed, turning on the TV to watch whatever was on.

 

When Beca and Beth arrived at the bar, the brunette ordered her beloved Whiskey on Ice while the blonde opted for a Gin Tonic. “I see nothing has changed huh?” Beca grinned.

“Nope, not really.” Beth giggled. They clinked their glasses together before drinking them. “So, how’s your love life? Anyone in the picture?”

“Uh..” The brunette froze a little when the kiss with Chloe came to her mind. “No. Didn’t really have a relationship either. Only occasional hookups.” She explained.

“Why?” The blonde asked, raising her eyebrow.

“I don’t know. No one really stuck around. And it’s hard when you’re famous. People could try to be with you so they get famous as well.” Beca shrugged, stirring the ice absentmindedly. “Plus, no one could really connect with me. Not like you or Chloe did.” She confessed quietly.

“Oh.” Beth blew out a breath. “Well, it’s been kind of the same for me. The only difference is that I’m not famous. But… I wanted to have what I had with you. And that… Didn’t come yet.” 

“Oh.” The brunette swallowed. “Another one please?” She asked the bartender who nodded.

They kept drinking, thankfully moving on from the heavy subject. After what felt like hours, Beca stood up to go to the toilet, nearly falling over in the process. Both her and Beth had to giggle.

“Careful! Don’t fall for me!” The blonde grinned.

“Don’t worry, I’m still steady.” The brunette winked before disappearing into the bathroom.

 

Chloe was in a similar state. She had drunk almost ¾ of the vodka bottle. Her coke has been long empty, so she settled with drinking straight from the alcoholic bottle. She was currently sobbing. Beca was out on a date, having the time of her life, while she was in this hotel room, all by herself. The brunette had left her, just like Chicago did. And the redhead knew it was selfish to think that way, but she just wanted affection. She wanted attention, and she didn’t care from whom. She had realized how touch starved she was because Beca had been more affectionate with her during these three days than Chicago had been in three months.

Realization hit Chloe. She was going to lose her fiance if he was cheating. Which would be fine, she knew deep down that they were doomed to fail. She could turn to Beca. But if Beca had fun on this… date, she would also lose the brunette. Beth had made her really happy, and probably in ways Chloe never could. So if Beca hit it off with the blonde, Chloe would stay behind. Alone, eventually forgotten. A nobody.

A new wave of tears hit her as she gulped down the rest of the bottle. She didn’t want her life to end this way. But there was nothing she could do to stop it. She got angry. So, she threw the bottle with all her power against the opposite wall, breaking it in the process. She angrily stared at it before realizing that she had made a mistake. She rolled out of bed, having difficulties with holding her balance, and made her way to where the broken bottle was. She started collecting the pieces, throwing them away into the nearest trash can. When she went to grab another piece, she accidentally cut open the palm of her hand. She stared at it in disbelief, watching the blood flow out of her wound. For some reason, she had to laugh. She sat down, leaned against the bed and laughed her heart out, holding up her hand so the blood would stop flowing out eventually.

“Oh my god. You’re so pathetic.” She breathed out, sniffing.

 

Beth and Beca had moved to the dance floor, dancing like there was no tomorrow. The blonde grinded against the brunette, getting her all riled up. Beca pulled her close, enjoying the feeling of Beth’s body flushed against hers. 

“You know…” The blonde breathed against the brunette. “I missed us dancing like this.”

Beca’s breath hitched. “Me too.” She was too drunk to process anything. The only thing she could concentrate on was Beth’s hips moving against her leg. It didn’t help that she let out a soft moan. “Fuck.” The next thing she knew, two hands cupped her cheeks and she was pulled in for a hungry kiss. Her brain short circuited and she reciprocated.

Beth moaned against her lips and the brunette could feel her trying to deepen the kiss. But somehow, it didn’t feel right to Beca. She pushed the blonde away before storming out, feeling in need of fresh air. Once outside, she took a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts.

“What the fuck Beca?!” Beth stumbled out, almost crashing into the girl in question. “You can’t just leave me like that!”

“Beth I’m sorry, but I can’t kiss you.” The brunette said calmly.

“Why not? This whole evening you’ve been sending signals that you want me. I even wore your favorite set of lace!” The blonde pouted.

“Woah.” Beca squinted her eyes at her former friend, trying to see her more clearly. “I did not expect anything from tonight.” She confessed.

“What? I came out here so I could win you back!” Beth exclaimed.

“Girl, calm down! I just.. It was really nice today, but I don’t think I could ever picture us together anymore. Whatever I felt for you died after you weren’t the for me when I needed you the most!” The brunette tried to reason. The blonde only raised her hand and connected it with Beca’s cheek. The smaller girl’s eyes widened in shock as her hand flew up to the stinging cheek.

“I still love you.” Beth sobbed. “I’m way better than Chloe. We both know it.”

“Leave her out of this. She has got nothing to do with this!” Beca protested.

“She does. You and I both know it. You still love her. You want her. I was just a distraction.” The blonde wiped her eyes. “I guess it really was foolish of me to think I could rekindle something. Goodbye Beca.” 

“No Beth wait!” The brunette exclaimed. She grabbed the other girl’s wrist, spinning her back around. Their bodies flushed together and they stared into each other’s eyes, their faces inches apart.

“What?” Beth glared at her.

“I.. I don’t want you to go. Not just yet.” Beca said quietly. Before the blonde could ask what the brunette meant, their lips met for a passionate kiss.

Beca couldn’t deal with anything happening right now, so she decided to just let go. They made out for what felt like hours before the brunette pulled away. “I need you.” She said huskily, and Beth nodded. They hailed a cab back to the blonde’s hotel. Upon arrival they disappeared into her room together, lips locked in a passionate and hungry kiss.

 

After they were done, Beca quickly got dressed before stumbling out of the room, leaving a sleeping Beth behind. She shook her head as she waited for a cab to drive by. She couldn’t believe she just slept with her former friend with benefits again. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, smoking her thoughts away. Her eyes fell onto a 24 hour store and she made her way over. She bought a whiskey bottle and took a huge swig once she was outside. Finally, a cab came and she drove back to her hotel.

 

Once at the hotel, she stumbled into the elevator, ignoring the staff who looked at her funny. She took it up to her suite. “Fuck.” She exclaimed. Chloe had the keys, so she couldn’t get in. She furiously knocked on the door. “Chloe, let me in!” She slurred.

 

The redhead had found a small bottle of tequila, and she had been drinking it happily. She stared at her hand,finding it funny how more blood came out if she squeezed it together. Her thoughts got interrupted by a loud banging noise. Scared, she looked around, trying to find the source. When she heard Beca’s voice, she somehow understood that the brunette was at the door.

“Coming!” She giggled, scrambling to get up but falling over a couple of times. When she finally made it to the door, she opened it with a wide smile. “You’re hoooomeeeee!” She was still wearing her bikini.

“Whatever.” Beca mumbled, pushing her way past the redhead. “God I’m the stupidest person alive!” She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air before taking another swig from the whiskey bottle before putting it down on her nightstand.

“Noooo! You’re very, very smart. Like crazy smart!” Chloe giggled as she stumbled over to the brunette.

“Wait are you… are you drunk?!” The other girl’s eyes widened. She did not have time to deal with that shit.

“No.” Chloe grinned. She wrapped her arms around Beca’s shoulders, pulling her close.”You’re the drunk one.”

The brunette’s breath hitched. Her friend was too close for her liking, so she tried to pull away, but Chloe cupped her cheek. Beca would protest, but she noticed that the redhead’s hand was wet. “Uhm… Chloe. Why is your hand so wet?” She asked, grabbing the wrist. When she looked at it, she let out a surprised yelp. “Chloe! What the fuck did you do?!”

“I got mad and threw the vodka bottle against the wall. And then I wanted to collect the pieces and throw them away…” The redhead said softly as Beca started frantically looking for a med kit.

“Where is it?! Every room should have one!” She stumbled into the bathroom, finally finding it beneath the sink. “Sit down on the bed. Now.” She instructed.

Chloe watched her with big eyes, but she did as told. Beca cleaned the wound as good as possible before getting out a bandage and wrapping it around the redhead’s hand. “This should do for tonight.” She said to herself before stumbling back into the bathroom, trying to wash off Chloe’s blood from her cheek. When she came back out, she saw her friend staring at her whiskey bottle. “Why are you so lustfully staring at that?” She squinted her eyes together.

Chloe turned her attention to Beca. “Let’s play a game.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What kinda Saw ending is this? xD


	6. Body talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Don't read it in public. Or with your parents or relatives present. Or with kids around. Or with a toaster in hand. Wait what?

Chloe’s hair was sprawled out on the white rug as she laid on her back. Beca was clutching the whiskey bottle shakily and poured some into the redhead’s belly button. “Shit, why are you moving so much?” She asked as she struggled to pour it in the right place. 

Chloe giggled. “I’m laying perfectly still, you’re just very drunk.” 

Beca huffed and plopped the bottle down on the floor. “Okay, here I come!” She said with a grin and connected her lips to Chloe’s stomach. She drank up the whiskey as best as she could, laughing as Chloe giggled. 

“That tickles.” The redhead said with a big grin. 

“Should I tickle you more?” Beca smirked as she let her hair brush over Chloe’s stomach, looking up at her.

“No, stop!” The other girl laughed. “It’s my turn!” She exclaimed, rolling them over. “Pull up your shirt.” 

The brunette did as told, and Chloe started pouring the whiskey into her belly button.

She did it exceptionally well for how drunk she was, not spilling as much as Beca. She plopped the bottle down, smirking at the brunette. “Ready?” She asked and Beca nodded. Chloe bowed down and her lips touched Beca’s stomach softly. She drank all of the whiskey, and when some spilled to the side, she softly ran her tongue over it. “I spilled a little.” She said softly as she heard Beca’s breath hitch. 

“So much to you’re better than me.” The brunette rolled her eyes. “Also. Quick question. Why are you  _ still _ wearing your bikini? Not that I mind.”

“I don’t know.” The redhead shrugged. “Didn’t feel like showering after all and now I’m too drunk to care.”

Beca chuckled and put her arms behind her head, resting on them. “This is kind of nice, you know?“ She said, smiling. Chloe nodded and wiped a stray piece of Beca’s hair behind the brunette’s ear. 

“Can we do more shots?” She asked, with a grin. “I have an idea. Stacie showed me this a while ago.” Beca looked at Chloe with confused eyes as the redhead sat up on her knees, pushing her breasts together. “See, now you can pour it in there and slurp it up! Isn’t that fun?” 

“Oh. Boob shots. Okay.” The brunette nodded as she grabbed the whiskey bottle, pouring a good amount into the small cup that the action provided. She spilled over the edges again, but she didn’t care. “Ready?” She asked, and Chloe nodded with a smile.

Beca leaned down, slurping the whiskey up and swallowing it with a hum. She decided to lick up the spilled over whiskey as well. She pushed away Chloe’s hands before undoing the redhead’s bikini top, tossing it aside and getting to work.

The other girl’s eyes widened. “Becs…” She said softly, her breath hitching.

The brunette didn’t listen as she was too busy licking up the whiskey between Chloe’s breasts. She licked all the way up over her collarbone to her neck before biting it softly. “There.” She whispered against the redhead’s skin before pulling away, looking into her eyes. “It’s my turn now.”

Chloe didn’t know what to say. Somewhere in the back of her mind, alarm bells were going off. But she smiled at Beca and pushed the feeling away. “Fine, take off your shirt then. I can’t work with all this fabric in the way.” Chloe said, pulling on Beca’s shirt. She fumbled with the buttons and let out an annoyed groan. “I don’t understand how to do this.” She huffed after a while. 

Beca giggled as she unbuttoned her flannel, throwing it aside before pulling her shirt over her head, leaving her only in her black bra. “That better?” She smirked.

“Yes.” The redhead nodded and took Beca’s hands, placing them on the brunette’s boobs. “Squeeze.” She instructed, and the other girl happily obeyed. Chloe filled up the small cup, again not spilling as much as the brunette did. “Here I go.” She chuckled before drinking it all. Beca’s skin felt so extremely soft under her lips and she wanted to taste more. She kissed up the brunette’s neck and jaw, stopping just before her lips. “Can… Can I kiss you?” She asked softly. 

The brunette’s eyes were halfway closed, and when Chloe spoke the question, she leaned forward, capturing her lips gently. She could feel the redhead reciprocate, and she let out a small noise of approval. She cupped Chloe’s cheeks, pulling her closer. The redhead wrapped her arms around the brunette, deepening the kiss. She felt herself being pushed down on the rug, her back hitting the soft fabric. She felt Beca’s knee between her legs and arched her back against it. A desire was starting to burn deep inside her, after all these weeks of no physical contact whatsoever. 

Beca smirked, pushing her knee against Chloe’s center. She chuckled as she felt the redhead twitch underneath her. “Calm down, jeez.” She whispered into her ear. The brunette enjoyed the fact that she could feel how much the redhead wanted her. In her drunken mind, the only thing important right now was making Chloe as crazy as possible. Her lips connected with the redhead’s neck, sucking there softly and occasionally biting down before licking softly over the spot. 

Chloe reacted by softly whimpering, and tilting her head to allow Beca more room. The brunette gladly took it as she bit and sucked her way up and down the redhead’s neck, well knowing that she’s going to be leaving hickeys behind. Her hand wandered over Chloe’s abs towards her breast, cupping it. She squeezed it, electing another moan from the other girl. “How bad do you want it?” She asked huskily.

“Becs just… do me.” Chloe pleaded. “I need it. I need you.”

Beca pulled back, looking into the redhead’s dilated eyes. “Okay.” She nodded before reconnecting her lips with Chloe’s skin, making her way down to where the redhead needed it the most. She didn’t fail to leave her trail of hickeys behind, wanting to mark the other girl as hers. She teasingly ran her finger over Chloe’s most sensitive part, which made the redhead buckle her hips against the brunette’s finger. “Woah, you really need me huh?” Beca smirked. 

“Shut the fuck up. And do me.” Chloe ordered.

The brunette stared at her, taken aback. But she did as told, and with one swift movement, the redhead’s underwear was gone. Beca needed to sit back. Chloe looked really beautiful and so goddamn hot in this state. Shaking her head, she leaned forward, connecting her mouth with the redhead’s center. She flicked her tongue over the other girl’s clit, and Chloe reacted immediately with a loud moan. “Shit.” Both women said in unison.

Beca went to work. She licked over Chloe’s clit, through her folds and over her center, tasting the juice the redhead was leaking. She tasted so delicious.

Chloe on the other hand felt like she was in heaven. The brunette seemed to know what she was doing, and she was doing a great job. No other lover she had before had something on Beca. The waves of pleasure sent through her body made her eyes roll back. She buried her hands in the other girl’s hair, completely sinking into the feeling.

Beca hummed against the redhead’s core which was rewarded with a soft whimper. She decided to add a finger to her work, pushing it in and out while resuming to suck on Chloe’s clit.

“Fuck.” The redhead rasped out, her grip on the brunette’s head tightening. “More.” She pleaded.

“So demanding.” Beca mumbled. She obeyed however, adding another finger. 

Chloe’s head fell back, her eyes pinched close. “Oh my god.” She whispered between moans. 

The brunette quickened her pace, biting the sensitive bundle of nerves which arose another noise of pleasure from the other girl. She could get used to hearing the moans and whimpers from her friend every night, begging her not to stop, to continue, to make her feel good. She could feel the redhead getting close and she smirked. She curled her fingers inside her, her tongue playing with her sensitive point. 

Chloe’s head exploded with sensations as she flew over the edge, whimpering softly. Her breathing was ragged and she tried to calm down her loudly beating heart. “Holy shit, Beca.” She said when she regained her voice. 

"Why thank you.” The girl in question smirked up at the redhead, licking up the juices. “You taste really good.”

“Thanks.” Chloe blushed.

 

After her breathing had calmed down, she tried to push herself up. Her arms were shaking under her weight and she plopped back onto the rug. “I can’t even move.” She giggled. The combination of the alcohol and the way her muscles relaxed made her arms and legs feel like jelly. 

“Where do you want to go?” Beca asked, raising her eyebrow.

“The bed. I want to return the favor.” The redhead stared at the brunette intently, and not even a second later the other girl stumbled to her feet. She almost fell, making Chloe giggle.

“Shut up!” Beca warned before helping the redhead up to her feet. She supported the girl who almost fell as well, almost pulling the brunette with her. Beca lifted up Chloe and carried her to the bed, bridal style.

The redhead wondered how the brunette could be so strong, but she didn’t decide to question it. For now, there was only one task. Return the favor. So as soon as they fell onto the soft mattress, she was straddling the other girl’s lap, hovering over her. She grabbed her wrists and pinned them above Beca’s head, kissing her passionately. The brunette made a surprised noise but kissed her back hungrily. ‘Take off your bra.” Chloe instructed and the other girl obeyed, tossing it away. Their lips reconnected for another hungry kiss, the redhead moving her hand to cup the brunette’s breast. The USO tour came to her mind, how nice Beca’s boobs had felt. Without any fabric they felt even better. She squeezed it, electing a moan from the brunette. She smirked against her lips before moving down, sloppily nibbling on Beca’s neck.

The brunette had fantasized a lot about how Chloe would go down on her. No scenario had included this version. Them, drunk out of their minds, in a hotel room, finally releasing the built up sexual tension after god knows how long. She couldn’t believe how good it felt to have Chloe on top of her, kissing down her neck. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest, despite how drunk she was. She got interrupted from her train of thoughts when Chloe’s lips connected with her left nipple, biting down on it softly. She arched her back and wrapped her arms around the redhead, keeping her in place. 

Chloe softly sucked and licked Beca’s hardened nipple and massaged the brunette’s other breast with her free hand. Her skin felt so soft and amazing in her hands. 

“Chloe, please.” Beca whimpered softly, needing the redhead to relieve her. 

The other girl just smirked and moved down, struggling to unzip the brunette’s pants. “Shit.” She mumbled.

“Do I have to help you with everything?” Beca giggled as she opened the pants for Chloe. Just as she was about to pull them down, the redhead stopped her, taking the pants off herself. She tossed them aside before connecting her lips with the other girl’s thigh, kissing and nibbling up to Beca’s underwear. “God.” The brunette breathed out.

“My name’s Chloe but we can go with that too.” Chloe replied, earning a slap from Beca. She giggled and took off the brunette’s last fabric of clothing. Now the other girl was as naked as she was, and  _ god _ , she looked hot. She had to stop and take breath. “You’re beautiful, you know that?” She whispered. 

“Don’t go all romantic on me. Just do me.” Beca replied, her urgency evident in her voice.

The redhead smiled softly before leaning back down, her mouth connecting with the spot where the brunette needed it most. The other girl replied with a satisfied moan, gripping the bed sheets. Chloe licked over Beca’s clit like she was eating an ice cream before swirling over it to wander down to the brunette’s center, tasting her. The girl tasted really good, the redhead was impressed. She teasingly pushed her tongue in and Beca buckled her hips, letting out a deep throated moan. Chloe took that as a good sign and kept going, pushing her tongue in and out rather slowly.

The brunette whimpered in protest and arched her hips more into the redhead, trying to get more friction this way. The other girl decided to have mercy and replaced her tongue with two fingers. She moved them at a steady pace, enjoying Beca’s noises of appreciation. She moved up again to connect her lips with the brunette’s, letting the girl taste herself. 

Kissing Chloe, tasting herself and the fingers being pushed in and out of her made Beca’s head swim. She wrapped her arms around the redhead, her nails digging into her back. She moaned against Chloe’s lips, her back arching into the other girl. “F-faster.” She breathed out, and the redhead obeyed, quickening the pace. It felt amazing to hear Beca’s moans and to know that she was the cause of them. She massaged the brunette’s clit with her thumb and pushed her fingers deep inside of her. She slightly curled them, and felt Beca’s immediate reaction, making her smirk. 

The brunette thought she was going crazy. Especially when Chloe grazed  _ that _ spot. Her nails immediately dug deeper into the redhead’s skin, dragging them down a little. She could hear the other girl hiss, but she didn’t care. She was a goner. 

Chloe picked up on the fact that she had found the Beca’s g-spot, and took immediate use of it. She kept brushing past it, wincing whenever the brunette would scratch her nails down her back. This was going to hurt later. But she focused back on getting the other girl off, and she could feel Beca’s walls tightening around her fingers. So she sped up her pace, purposely hitting the g-spot repeatedly, and it didn’t take long for the brunette to inhale sharply before she let out a soft, long whimper. 

The redhead let the other girl ride out her orgasm and kissed her shoulder before she pulled out her fingers.

“Fuck.” Beca only said, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Your fingers. Pure magic.” She chuckled.

“Why thank you.” Chloe smiled. She rolled away from the brunette, lying down next to her and felt Beca wrap her arm around her. “That was amazing.” She whispered and the other girl smiled. 

“Everything I’ve dreamed of and more, I would say.” The brunette admitted. Chloe blushed and stifled a yawn. 

“Shit, what time is it?” Beca asked and they both looked over at the alarm on the bedside table. It showed them it was nearing 3:30 am. The brunette bit her lip. “Right, maybe we should sleep.”. She looked down at Chloe, who had her eyes closed and her mouth was slightly open. She had balled the duvet up in her fist and was hugging Beca closely. Her breathing had slowed and the brunette realised the redhead had already fallen asleep. She smiled softly before pressing a small kiss onto her forehead. “Good night.” She whispered before wriggiling the blanket over them, careful not to wake Chloe. Then, she snuggled into the redhead before closing her eyes as well.


	7. Ruined

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tun tun tun tun tun tun tun tun tun.........

Chloe awoke with a start. She was lying on a damp forest floor and got up quickly, dusting off her clothes. She peered into the darkness, furrowing her brows. She could see a light far off in the distance and she decided to walk towards it. When she put her bare foot forward, her head whipped around as she heard a sudden sound. A huge shadow doomed up behind her and she wanted to scream, but 

no sound came out. She sped off, running from whatever was behind her as fast as she could. She could feel her heart beat loudly in her chest as she looked behind her frantically. She couldn’t see anything in the darkness and turned back around, only to trip over a tree stump and crash to the ground. She groaned as she heaved herself up, feeling her ankle sting painfully. “No time.” She said softly and started running again. The light seemed to get closer and she wanted to reach out to it, to feel safe and warm again. 

When she finally reached the light, she noticed a silhouette standing to her right. Her eyes widened as she approached it. They looked familiar. “Chicago?” She said softly. The person didn’t respond and Chloe turned and walked around them only to see Chicago, staring into the dark forest. “Chicago!” She yelled, waving her hand in front of his eyes. She couldn’t understand what was happening and why it seemed like Chicago was looking right through her. She wanted to reach out to touch him, but as soon as her fingers almost grazed his chest, she felt his strong hand on her wrist as he threw her to the ground. 

When she looked up again, he was gone. “What!?” She wondered aloud, getting up again. The light was gone and she didn’t know which was left or right. She wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered in the cold and suddenly realised that she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Her feet shuffled forwards through the dirt and she cried out. “Hello? Is anyone there?” Her eyes welled up with tears and she sniffled softly. She heard shuffling to her left and her eyes peered into the darkness. 

“Chicago?” She asked, her voice unsteady. A figure appeared from the shadows and Chloe realised with a shock that she was looking at herself. Only she looked very ill. And thin. Very, very thin. She could count her own ribs from here and her collar bones were sticking out prominently. Her eyes looked empty and dead and had big bags underneath them. Chloe felt tears run down her cheeks. “What does this mean?” She asked herself. 

Her reflection just stared and said nothing. Chloe heard shuffling behind her and turned around to see the shadow again, even bigger this time. She wanted to move but couldn’t. Her feet were frozen and her legs felt extremely heavy. “Please, don’t.” She whispered to no one in particular as the shadow engulfed her and she screamed. 

 

Beca’s eyes shot open as she heard Chloe’s ear piercing scream. “Shit!” She swore and looked around angrily for the source of the sound that scared her awake. Her scowl faded when she looked down at the redhead, who had tears running down her cheeks and was moving around a lot, obviously having a nightmare. The alarm clock next to Chloe showed her that it was 5 am. A lot of thoughts were running through the brunette’s head as she noticed that the redhead wasn’t wearing anything and last night came back to her in flashes, but she pushed those thoughts aside. She softly shook Chloe’s shoulder, trying to wake her up. “Chlo, you’re dreaming.” She said urgently. When the redhead didn’t respond, Beca shook her a little harder. “Chloe! Wake up!”

Finally, Chloe’s eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked at Beca with bloodshot eyes. The brunette knew that Chloe probably thought she was still in her dream and tried to calm her down. “Shhh, it was just a nightmare. It’s all good.” She whispered softly and felt the redhead slump into her as she whimpered softly. Beca felt her heart break as Chloe cried into her shoulder. She rubbed her back gently, wishing she could take away the sadness. “Shhh, you’re okay.” She said softly, kissing the redhead’s temple. When the other’s girl breathing had returned to normal and her crying had evolved to only soft sniffs, Beca pulled away to look at her. “Are you okay?” She asked softly, looking at the tear streaked girl in front of her. 

Chloe nodded. “I had a nightmare.” She croaked softly. 

Beca smiled. “I noticed. ‘T was a bad one, huh?” Her thumbs stroked the redhead’s cheek gently, getting rid of her tears. 

“It was really scary. I can’t...I can’t really describe it.” Chloe sniffled softly.

Beca shook her head. “Shh, it’s okay. You don’t have to. It wasn’t real anyway.” 

Chloe nodded and closed her eyes sadly. “I guess you’re right.” She sighed.

Beca softly stroked the redhead’s back and smiled when she heard her breathing slow down. She didn’t stop stroking her until she was sure Chloe had fallen back asleep. Her hands stilled and she yawned quietly, closing her eyes again.

 

Chloe awoke with a start the next morning because Beca’s phone was ringing. “Becs, your phone.” She groaned as the ringtone rang loudly, making her brain hurt. 

The brunette hummed in her sleep and moaned as she woke up. “Shut up, 5 more minutes.” She mumbled and Chloe softly slapped the brunette’s arm.

“Shut it off!!!” She hissed and she felt Beca shuffle over to grab her phone. 

Instead of shutting it off, she picked up the call. “‘Tis your girl, BM.” She picked up dorkily, her voice thick with sleep.

Chloe closed her eyes tiredly as a headache made itself known. There was also a weird stinging feeling in her hand. She looked at it and wondered why it was bandaged. She remembered, a slight blush creeping up her face. She should know better than to clean up broken glass drunk.

“Yeah I did just wake up, why?” Beca replied and the redhead could hear the unmistakable sound of Amy’s voice on the other side of the line. 

“Chloe’s with me, yeah.” Beca replied. Chloe rubbed her eyes tiredly and froze when she realised she wasn’t wearing any clothes and neither was Beca. She shut her eyes again quickly and cleared her throat to say something but had no idea where to start so she just stayed silent. “Oh, alright. We’ll be down in like… 30 minutes?” She heard Beca say. 

The brunette huffed and hung up the phone. “I have to go downstairs. Apparently Beth is waiting for me.” She said in a voice that sounded very unlike her own. 

“Great.” Chloe groaned and coughed. 

“Yeah.. I’m scared to face her.” Beca said softly. 

“Was it that bad last night?” The older girl asked curiously.

“Well, yeah…” The brunette replied, remembering vaguely what she had said to Beth.

Chloe didn’t know what to say, she was too occupied with the fact that she and Beca were currently naked in bed together and had sex last night. She closed her eyes with a groan and sunk back into the pillow, trying to forget the butterflies flying through her stomach filled with the dread of the reality of the situation.

“Well.... I am going to take a shower quickly, okay?” The brunette said after a while, obviously at loss what to do as well.  She looked over at Chloe and couldn’t help herself. Her eyes roamed over the redhead’s stomach and exposed breasts and she noticed with a shock that the other girl’s entire neck and chest were covered in hickeys. There also was a hickey line wandering down… there. Her red hair was messily sprawled out of the pillow. A blush creeped up her cheeks as she shuffled out of the bed. She stumbled over the rug and her blush darkened as she remember what happened there. She saw their clothes scattered around the room and quickly hurried into the bathroom, needing to get away as soon as possible.

 

When Chloe was sure that Beca was gone, she opened her eyes. She sat up in the bed and wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her head on top. “What the fuck have you done?” She whispered softly to herself. 

Realisation hit her like a truck. She had sex with Beca. While she was engaged. She cheated on her fiance. And she didn’t even regret it. Tears blurred her vision and she covered her eyes with her hands. Her shoulders shook as she cried softly. “Oh god.” She tried to calm herself down and slipped out of the bed, putting on the hotel bathrobe. Her eyes fell onto the carpet and she felt her tears fall on the floor. She couldn’t be here anymore. Her hands were shaking as she opened the hotel room door and softly slipped out. 

 

Beca got out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror. She struggled to recall what happened last night. She remembered going to the pool and then going to the restaurant with Beth, having fun with her and dancing with her. Then there was a big blur where she ended up back at the hotel room only to find Chloe drunk out of her mind. She remembered bandaging up the redhead’s hand and then doing body shots. Her breath hitched as she remembered ending up on the rug with the redhead and kissing her and making love to her. She touched her lips as she recalled the feeling of Chloe’s lips on hers. Thinking about the way the redhead had touched her made her eyes widen. In one way, she was glad she mostly remembered what happened and how amazing it was. But it also made her heart hurt and her lungs feel like they might collapse. She had to grab onto the sink to not fall over and she pressed her forehead against the mirror. “You fucking idiot. I bet she feels horrible about cheating on her fiance.” She whispered to herself. 

She hated the fact that she hadn’t pushed Chloe away and had given into her own desires instead of knowing better. But maybe it was a good thing. If Chicago was really cheating on Chloe, it didn’t really matter anyway. “No going back now.” She decided and pushed herself off from the sink. She looked at her reflection and had to smile. She looked like a love struck fool. Her cheeks were rosy and her neck was filled with hickeys. Her pupils were dilated and her eyes wide. She shook her head and started drying herself off. After applying her makeup, not bothering to cover up the hickeys, and brushing her hair, she tiptoed back into the hotel room. She didn’t want to wake Chloe in case she had gone back to sleep. 

However, she was shocked to see that the bed was empty. “Where’d you go?” She wondered aloud as she put on her underwear and clothes. She decided that Chloe probably already got dressed and went downstairs or something. Her hung-over mind couldn’t be bothered by all that right now. She had something else on her mind. “Why is Beth here?” She thought as she ordered breakfast for herself. It arrived not soon later and she ate quickly, her brow furrowed with all the thoughts running through her head.

 

Chloe knocked on Aubrey’s door urgently. Tears were streaming from her eyes and she didn’t even try to stop them. When her best friend finally opened the door, Chloe barreled inside. “Chlo, what- Are you crying?” Aubrey said in a sleepy voice. She followed the redhead who sat down on her bed, hugging her knees and sobbing into them. “Oh god, honey, what happened?” The blonde asked and wrapped her arms around Chloe. 

“I.. I fucked it all up, Bree!” The redhead cried and looked at her friend with sad eyes.

“What happened?” Aubrey repeated, rubbing Chloe’s back softly. 

“Beca… I…. We were drunk… and I was so sad and lonely… and…” The redhead started out, breathing heavily. “Beca and I had sex!” 

Aubrey’s eyes widened. “You did what now?” She asked, her eyebrows shooting up. She did notice the hickeys on the other girl’s neck now.

“We.. I… We did it okay!” Chloe said, tears running down her cheeks. 

“Oh, honey.” Aubrey said soothingly, wrapping the sobbing redhead up in her arms. She rocked her silently, waiting for her to calm down. “It’s all gonna be okay. Shhhhh.” She whispered softly, kissing Chloe’s hair. When she felt the redhead’s breathing calm down a little, she loosened her grip on her. “So, what happened?” She asked again, hoping to get a better explanation. Chloe looked at her with red eyes, looking so small and hurt it actually broke Aubrey’s heart. She grabbed the redhead’s hands and squeezed them supportively. 

Chloe smiled thankfully and cleared her throat. “So, last night Beca had this date with… Beth. She was a friend.. from a long time ago. They had this friends with benefits kind of situation, I guess. And I got so jealous and sad… so I ordered a bottle of vodka and got so drunk, Bree, it was really bad. I threw the bottle against the wall at one point and hurt my hand on the glass.” She said, showing Aubrey the sloppy bandage Beca had applied last night. Aubrey bit her lip, mentally hitting herself for not wondering where Chloe was the night before as she turned in for an early sleep. “And well, Beca came home and she was really drunk as well. And we did some body shots…. and it happened.” The redhead continued. Aubrey squeezed her hands. Chloe sniffled sadly. “How am I supposed to tell Chicago? I’m going to break his heart.” She mumbled. Aubrey wiped away her tears. 

“Well, maybe. But he wasn’t being good to you. I don’t support cheating, but… you know.” The blonde said, hugging her tight. “You just have to be honest. That’s all you can do. And I’m behind you, every step of the way.” She said with a smile. 

Chloe nodded and closed her eyes, melting into the hug. “I love you, Bree.” 

 

After talking about it some more, Aubrey finally got Chloe to realise it wasn’t all bad. She could see a small hope flicker up in the redhead and smiled proudly. It wasn’t the best situation, but she knew Chloe would make the best of it. She probably realised that Chicago wasn’t right for her and seeing as Beca was single… maybe something could happen between them. Aubrey sure hoped so, as she had been secretly rooting for the two to end up together on the day Chloe told her about her crush on Beca. 

When they were done talking, Aubrey had ordered Chloe to take a shower and gave her some clothes. She also provided the other girl with some painkillers for her headache. 

She was braiding the redhead’s hair when the girl in question let out a long sigh. “I think Beca was supposed to meet with Beth downstairs. She seemed really scared about it.” She said in a small voice. 

“Do you wanna see if they’re okay?” Aubrey asked, sensing what Chloe wanted immediately. The redhead hummed and nodded. “Okay, let me finish this up and we’ll check it out.” 

 

Beca fidgeted with her hands as she left the hotel room, getting into the elevator, nervously staring at the floor. She walked towards the group of Bellas waiting in the main hall and waved at them awkwardly. “Hey guys. I’m here.” She said, crossing her arms. 

“Ohhhhhhhh Becaaaaaa!” Stacie smirked. “You finally did it!” She exclaimed, wrapping the brunette in a hug.

“I finally did what?” The smaller girl asked, dumbfounded.

“Those hickeys only can mean one thing. You boned the ginger! Did you have morning sex as well?” CR asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Gross. No. Stop talking about this please.” Beca urged and the girls seemed to understand as they busied themselves with their own conversations.

The brunette noticed Chloe and Aubrey joined them and let her eyes roam over the redhead’s face. It was very obvious she had been crying and Beca felt her heart break even more. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth. “Chloe… Aubrey… I know this whole situation sucks but….would… would you please come with me? To make sure she… or I don’t do anything crazy?” She asked, her eyes pleading. Aubrey looked at Chloe who nodded, looking away from the brunette. 

“Fine.” The blonde said with pursed lips, obviously angry at Beca. Her eyes told her she’d had a word with her later. The brunette wanted to say something in return but was interrupted when Amy walked up to them and grabbed Beca’s arm hastily, pulling her along. “She’s in here. What the hell did you do last night? She looks angry as fuck.” The blonde asked with a smirk. Beca rolled her eyes and shook her arm free. “Hang on. Please, I…” She said in a scared voice. She looked over to Chloe and Aubrey for help. The blonde grabbed her friend’s hand and pulled her along. Beca smiled at them thankfully and they all followed Amy into the meeting room where Beth was supposed to be waiting. 

When they arrived, Amy whispered a soft “Good luck, man” before hurrying back to the other Bellas. Beca took a deep breath and opened the door to the meeting room, pushing it open. 

 

Beth turned her head as soon as the others walked in. She had bags under her eyes and looked like she hadn’t slept at all last night. She motioned for all of them to sit down and was annoyed to see that Beca had brought Chloe along. She smirked a little however when she noticed how broken the redhead looked, her eyes looking watery and her face pale. Her eyes roamed over her neck and she noticed the hickeys with a smirk. Her gaze then fell onto Beca whose neck was also covered in hickeys. She decided to push her luck. “So, I’ve come here to clear the air.“ She started, putting her legs up on the table. “First of all, what the hell happened to your little red haired friend?” She asked Beca with a sly grin. Beca scowled at her and shook her head. Aubrey squeezed Chloe’s hand underneath the table. Beth let her eyes roam over Chloe’s hickey filled neck once more and she laughed knowingly. “How much of yesterday do you remember?” She asked Beca, obviously enjoying this. 

“Well, we went to the restaurant and after that we danced and you came on to me and I pushed you away… and then I took a cab home.” Beca said, trying to recall everything as well as she could. 

Beth’s eyebrows raised. “Oh, really now?” She said with a grin. “And I suppose you did that to her, huh?” She said, pointing at Chloe’s neck. Beca’s blush confirmed she was right. 

Beth directed her eyes at Chloe, looking her up and down. “Oh, honey, look at you. Probably thinking you were special, huh? Whatever happened last night turned your whole world upside down? She made you feel good?” She said in a sickly sweet voice.

Aubrey’s eyebrows furrowed angrily. “We have no business with you. We’re just here because we are great friends and didn’t want Beca to face you on her own. Just say what you came here to say and fuck off!”

Beth raised her hands defensively. “Woa, calm down, bitch. I’m just stating the truth. Allowing you a little insight into how great your friend Beca actually is.” 

Beca decided enough was enough and stood up. “Is this all you came to do? Be rude? Because I’m sick of your bullshit.” She spat at Beth. “Your intentions last night were wrong just like they are now. I can’t believe I ever even considered sharing my life with you. You are a horrible person!” 

She briefly saw hurt flash across Beth’s face before her usual smirk returned. “You really don’t remember, do you?” 

Beca felt her heart turn to ice. “What?”

“We fucked last night. And you liked it. A lot. At least, your moans sure told me you did.” Beth said and every word felt like a stab into Beca’s heart.

Suddenly, images of hungry kisses and their bodies on top of each other came back to Beca, and she had to hold on to the table to steady herself. “Fuck….” She whispered as she realised Beth was right. 

“Oops, right?” Beth smirked.

Beca opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the loud scraping of a chair. She looked at Chloe who had gotten up so abruptly her chair actually fell over. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she turned around and ran out of the room, followed by a worried looking Aubrey. 

“Oh, damn. I guess she didn’t know, huh?” Beth said, the enjoyment obvious in her voice. 

Beca swallowed the tears she felt stinging in her eyes, not allowing them to fall. “Fuck you, Beth.” 

The blonde got up angrily, slapping the table. “No, you know what!? Fuck you, Beca Mitchell! I gave you a chance last night and when you basically threw yourself onto me I was so nice to take you in only to wake up to an empty bed! That’s not how you treat people! You’re a self-centered piece of shit!” She spat and her eyebrows furrowed angrily. “I never want to see you again. Good luck with rekindling your friendship now, huh?” Beth said and stuck up her middle finger before marching out of the room. Beca’s throat closed up as she sniffled softly, sitting down again. She balled up her fist and let her tears fall onto the table. “Shit.” 

 

Chloe stormed inside the hotel room, her vision blurred by her tears. She grabbed her suitcase and threw it onto the bed, grabbing her clothes and stuffing them inside. Aubrey hurried in, clutching her chest as she tried to regain her breath. “Jesus.” She said breathlessly. “What… what a bitch.” 

She inspected the room. She saw the broken vodka bottle, Chloe’s blood still on a piece where she cut herself. The clothes of the two girls were on the floor, hinting that they probably fucked there. She shuddered at the thought. She looked over at Chloe who was standing in the middle of the room, her eyes empty and her lip trembling. “Oh, honey.” The blonde said softly, walking over to the redhead and wrapping her up in a hug. To her surprise, Chloe pushed her arms away and continued packing her suitcase. 

“I am going home.” The redhead announced angrily and Aubrey nodded. 

“I understand.” The blonde stated.

They packed Chloe’s suitcase in silence, Aubrey looking over at her worriedly. She didn’t know what to do. Chloe had never acted like this before. She hoped that her friend was dealing with the situation in her own way and would talk to her later, but she doubted it. So she helped the redhead zip up her suitcase and presented her with her coat, slipping it on. Chloe put on her boots and didn’t look back as she closed the hotel room door behind them with a loud bang.

“Are… are you sure this is the best thing?” Aubrey asked, jogging to keep up with her friend. The redhead’s lips were pulled into a straight line as she nodded and pressed the elevator button. 

 

When they arrived downstairs, the other Bellas looked at them worriedly. Chloe whisked past them as if they weren’t even there and Aubrey shot them an apologetic look. “I need a cab to the airport as soon as possible.” The redhead told the hotel staff and they walked away to arrange it for her. 

“Do you want me to come with you?” Aubrey asked, grabbing Chloe’s arm. 

“No, I’m fine.” The redhead replied and shook her hand off. 

The blonde clenched her jaw and grabbed Chloe’s shoulders, shaking her. “Chloe, you can’t… don’t do this. Don’t shut yourself off from me.” She said in a strong voice. Her eyes bored into Chloe’s ocean blue ones, but all she saw there was emptiness.

“I’m fine Aubrey. Please, let go of me. I’ll call you when I get home, okay?” The redhead replied, freeing herself from Aubrey’s grasp. Her cab arrived and she dumped her suitcase in the trunk. Aubrey stood on the hotel steps, feeling her heart break for her friend. She waved as the cab drove off, but Chloe wasn’t even looking. 

 

Beca had been sitting in the meeting room for quite some time, staring at the table, not knowing what to do. She knew she had just broken Chloe’s heart and had no idea how to deal with that fact. Her head whipped up when she heard someone enter the room and her eyes widened when she saw Aubrey looking at her with angry eyes. 

“You.” The blonde said, her voice shaking with anger.  Beca got up and put her hands in front of herself defensively. 

“Aubrey, I swear to god, it was not my intention to hurt her.” She said, her voice breaking. 

The taller girl marched forward and pushed her backwards. “Not your intention!? I don’t give a shit about your intentions.“ She spat. Beca felt herself being pushed back against the wall, her back hitting it with a soft thud. “You broke her fucking heart, you know that? Her entire life is ruined! And it’s all your fault!” The blonde continued and Beca nodded her head sadly. 

“I… I know. Aubrey, I’m… I’m sorry.” She apologized, her voice uneven. 

Aubrey’s eyebrows raised comically. “Oh, you’re sorry? Well, then it’s all good.” She said, her voice still dripping with anger. Beca sighed and tried to get away from the angry blonde, who was pinning her against the wall. “She never stopped loving you, you know that right?” Aubrey said in a sad voice and Beca saw tears form in her eyes. “I can’t imagine why. You’re a selfish, heartless person.” 

The blonde finally loosened her grip on the brunette and Beca pushed the taller girl away thankfully, her thoughts going wild. She was hurt by what Aubrey had said to her, but she could understand where the blonde was coming from.

“I hope you realise what you’ve done. And she’s gone, by the way. She went home.” Aubrey said after a short silence and Beca looked up at the older girl unbelievably. 

“She...she left?” Her voice was cracking up.

The blonde nodded. “I couldn’t even comfort her. She shook me off. She’s never done that before…” Aubrey took a deep breath and looked into Beca’s eyes. “Her eyes were empty, Beca.” 

Beca felt her heart clench. “I’m sorry. I… I don’t know what to do.” The brunette replied, feeling tears sting in her eyes but wiping them away angrily. 

“Go home, Beca. The reunion is over.” Aubrey replied, and she turned around.

“Please… make sure she’s okay?” Beca asked, grabbing the blonde’s wrist. 

“Always.” The blonde said, not turning around and shaking her her arm free from Beca’s grasp. 

Beca clasped her hand in front of her mouth and cried softly as soon as Aubrey left the room. 

 

The cab driver looked in his rearview mirror and saw the red haired woman sitting up straight in her seat with big, staring eyes. “Everything alright, ma'am?” He asked worriedly. She stared at him and nodded, her face unchanging. The cab driver made a mental note to never speak to passengers again and focused his eyes on the road. 

When they arrived at the airport, he got out to open her door and cleared his throat when the woman didn’t move. “We’ve arrived, Miss.” That got her to move and she struggled out of the cab. He presented her with her suitcase and let out a grateful sigh as she paid without another word and made her way inside. 

 

Beca didn’t leave the meeting room for a long time. She had slid down the wall, sobbing her heart out. This felt like the last time this happened. Only, she was the one who had stormed out. She bit her lip, crying, as she remembered that day.

 

_ After Chloe had kissed Chicago, Beca’s whole world came to a halt. When she had finally built up the courage to tell the redhead how she felt, how she knew Chloe felt the same and that she was ready to build a relationship, the other girl just went and crushed her dreams. The brunette was too late. So, she busied herself with Theo, not wanting to look at Chloe a second longer. _

 

_ They went out to get some celebratory drinks. Beca drank more than she probably should, and Theo was close to stealing the seventh whiskey out of her hands, but the brunette shook her head, insisting she was fine and was celebrating her new life. The brunette man clearly didn’t believe her, but let her be. But when Beca almost fell over as she made her way to the bathroom, he decided to call it a night. Despite the tiny brunette’s protest, he got her back to the hotel she was staying at, even managing to get her into her room. He prepared a hangover aid kit and helped Beca change into more comfortable clothes. When he was sure the girl would be fine, he left. He almost bumped into Chloe who looked at him with furrowed brows. He simply shrugged and motioned to the room before walking away. _

 

_ Chloe had spent most of her night with Chicago. He treated her drinks and they laughed a lot. Her heart felt warmer than it had in a long time. When she had asked the others where Beca had gone, they told her Theo took her to the hotel. Chloe had decided to check on her but now felt nervous as she stood in front of the hotel room. She looked at the door and took a big breath as she knocked on it. When she heard a soft “Come in”, she turned the knob and entered the room. It was engulfed in darkness and if Beca hadn’t just said anything, Chloe would have assumed she was asleep. “Beca?” The redhead whispered softly into the dark room.  _

_ The brunette shot up, glaring at the other girl in the doorway. “What the fuck do you want?” She slurred. _

_ Chloe turned on the light, making Beca squint her eyes. Her breath got caught in her throat when she saw how hateful the brunette was looking at her. Like she would literally want to murder her. “What’s wrong?” She asked carefully, not daring to come closer. _

_ “What’s wrong?” Beca sneered. “I’ll fucking tell you what’s wrong!” She stumbled out of the bed, almost falling because her foot got caught in the blanket. “You are a fucking bitch, that’s what’s wrong!” She yelled when she reached the redhead. _

_ “What… what do you mean?” Chloe felt like the brunette was going to snap her in half, so she backed away a little. _

_ “God, how can you be so stupid?!” Beca stepped forward, her eyes fixated on ocean blue ones. “I don’t get you, Chloe.” _

_ “Beca please… tell me what’s bothering you. What did I do?” The redhead cried out. _

_ “What you did?!” The brunette exclaimed, pushing the other girl against the wall. “You kissed army guy. That’s what you did.”  _

_ “I don’t understand… Please calm down...” Chloe was crying now. Beca scared her to death, and she didn’t know what she did wrong to call the brunette’s wrath upon her. _

_ Beca chuckled weakly. “God…” She shook her head before looking back to the redhead, her expression unreadable. “I love you Chloe. I have loved you for quite some time now, and I wanted to tell you tonight. But then you went and kissed Chicago.” Her voice sounded bitter. “I don’t understand why you did it. I know that you love me too. Amy said it, Stacie said it, hell, even Aubrey hinted it. That’s why I was so sure, so confident in telling you tonight. That I wanted to start a relationship with you. But I guess I was too late.” _

_ Chloe just stared at the girl in front of her. Her heart broke at the fact that she probably just fucked up everything with her best friend. “Beca… But why did you never tell me any of this? I… I had no idea.” She whispered. _

_ “Save it. You already made your choice. Go be happy with your stupid army boyfriend. I don’t ever want to see you again.” The brunette turned around, crossing her arms. _

_ “I do love you… You know that.” The redhead choked out. _

_ Beca froze before turning back around. “Then fucking act like it. Don’t go around kissing other people when really, you want to kiss me.”  _

_ “But he’s so sweet. He… he makes me happy. And so warm inside. And he… he kissed me. He went and took that step. He was brave enough to do that.” Chloe confessed quietly. “I love him, okay? And he wants to be with me.”  _

_ “Wow, way to go Chloe. Go be fucking happy with him. This, whatever we had, friendship, love, whatever, is officially cancelled. Get out of my fucking sight before I hurt you.” The brunette gritted her teeth, glaring at the redhead in front of her.  _

_ “Becs…” Chloe started. _

_ “Don’t you fucking “Becs” me.” Beca cut her off. “Get out.” _

_ The other girl nodded. She ducked her head, a tear escaping her eye. “Goodbye, Beca.” She said quietly before walking out of the room. The brunette slammed the door behind her, making her jump. She stood a long time in front of Beca’s door, staring at it, her tears flowing freely. She had officially ruined her friendship with the smaller girl. There was no going back. _

 

_ It didn’t surprise her when the Bellas found out that Beca had left early the next day. She knew she was the cause, but she kept quiet. Chicago was excitedly chatting away about how they could start off their relationship and how they could make it work. The redhead didn’t really listen to his ramblings. She wanted to explain to him why she was sad, but she had no idea how. Beca was gone, and it pained her that she couldn’t do anything about it. It was going to be weird not to come home to the brunette mixing a new track or cooking something and absentmindedly humming to some random song that was playing on the radio or on her phone. They would never go grocery shopping again, Beca and her bickering over every little thing. What pained her the most was that they would never fall asleep together again. Or cuddle. Or pressing small kisses onto each other’s shoulders when they thought the other was asleep. _

_ Before Chloe knew it, she stood up and excused herself to go to the bathroom. She locked herself in a stall and started sobbing, not caring about how confused the others had looked at her. She spent a long time in the bathroom, thankful that no one had come to check up on her. _

_ After a while, she made a decision. She had to move on. So, she locked her love for Beca in a cage, trapping it and stashing it away, hoping to forget about it eventually. She loved Chicago now, so she had to make this work. With newfound confidence and hope, she got out, freshened herself up and stepped into her new life with Chicago. _

 

_ Beca was off much worse. She didn’t need to go on tour just yet, so she flew back to New York and started packing up her belongings while sobbing uncontrollably. Everything in this tiny apartment reminded her of Chloe, and the more time she spent in here, the more she felt crushed beneath all the good memories and experiences that took place here. She had ordered a moving van and rented a small affordable apartment in L.A.. She planned on spending the next few days in the moving van, driving through America towards her new life. _

_ When she packed up everything, she took one last look at the apartment. She double checked if she truly had taken everything with her. She left the stuff that both her and Chloe owned for the redhead, and the same applied to stuff that her and Amy owned. She could just rebuy it once she arrived in Los Angeles. She sighed and put the key onto the small table. After a long internal debate with herself, she decided to write one last note. “Sorry for ghosting you guys. I just can’t be here anymore. Have great lives. I don’t think we can stay in touch. Please understand it. The stuff I left that you think belongs to me I left here on purpose. Don’t bother reaching out. I’m gonna miss you nerds. Beca.” With that, she turned around and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She got into the van, turned up the volume really loud and headed toward her new life, leaving New York behind with a soft, but sad smile on her face. _

 

Eventually, Stacie dared to come in and sat down next to her, silently wrapping an arm around her. They sat there, not a word spoken. The brunette sniffed and leaned against the taller girl.

“How could I be so stupid, Stace?” She asked quietly, staring at the chair Chloe knocked over.

“You had a lot of unresolved feelings. You finally let them out. Both of you.” Stacie replied, rubbing Beca’s arm. “And it just so happened that Chloe was engaged. She has to make this right, so she had to return to Chicago. They have to settle this themselves.”

“But… it was my fault. I made her cheat. I decided I needed to fuck her. I kissed her first. Not yesterday, but when we took a bath together. I should’ve been better. I should’ve blown her off, just like I did at the dance floor.” Beca chuckled softly.

“Becs.” The tall brunette said firmly. “She wanted this too. It’s not entirely your fault. And… You guys haven’t seen each other in 5 years. Your “We’re not going at each other even though we both want to” skill got lost. So you basically couldn’t wait until Chloe dumped Chicago.”

The tiny girl nodded wordlessly. “Do you think all this would’ve happened if Chloe and I weren’t roommates?” She asked after a while.

“Who knows?” Stacie shrugged. “What happened, happened. Now you must look forward. Go upstairs, pack your stuff and go home. If Chloe doesn’t talk to you in the next two weeks, you should try to reach out. You just rekindled your friendship or whatever. Don’t let it die again.” She said softly.

Beca nodded and got up, wiping her face. “You’re right. Thanks.” She spoke quietly before making her way to her room.

 

Chloe sat on the plane in silence, her eyes barely blinking. Her heart was consumed by dread and she felt like a big hand was squeezing it together, making it hard to breathe. She tried to focus on filling her lungs with oxygen and clutched her seat weakly, her knuckles turning white. She thought about Aubrey and felt bad for treating her best friend like how she did. But right now, everything felt too loud, too close and too painful. She made a mental note to call the blonde as soon as she got home and talked to Chicago. Her thoughts wandered off to a world far away where everything was warm and pretty and that made her feel a little better. The plane ride felt like it went on for years and when she finally landed, she made her way over to pick up her suitcase. It felt extremely heavy in her hands. She rolled it behind her as she made her way outside of the airport, hailing another cab to bring her home. 

 

Beca had cleaned up their room. She threw away the rest of the vodka bottle, her heart clenching as she saw the bloody piece that must’ve cut Chloe’s hand open. She picked up her clothes that either she or the redhead removed, trying to push away the memories that came with it. She packed her suitcase, sniffling softly. She bit her tongue angrily, not wanting to cry again.

When she had packed her suitcase, she threw one last look at the now somewhat clean room. The memories of this place pained her, but also made her really happy. She shook her head, laughing bitterly before closing the door behind her. This was it. The reunion was officially over.

The brunette headed downstairs, meeting the rest of the Bellas. She smiled weakly at them. All of them wrapped her in a hug, smiling apologetically or even voicing their sympathy. Beca just shook her head. “We’re Beca and Chloe. Never one without the other. We’ll find each other again.” She said reassuringly. She was almost hopeful that what she was saying was true.

She got in the cab together with Aubrey who would be flying back with the same plane. It was tense between them, even the cab driver could sense it.

Thankfully, the blonde and the brunette didn’t have to sit next to each other on the plane, and due to Beca being seated by the window, she stared out of it, the music that was playing through her headphones engulfing her. She was so not ready to come back home to an empty apartment. 

 

Chloe fumbled with the keys as she tried to unlock her front door. When she finally managed it, she pushed it open with a loudly beating heart. A part of her hoped Chicago wasn’t home and she could just curl up in their bed and forget about everything that happened. However, as soon as she entered the hallway, she heard his familiar voice calling out for her. “Chloe?” 

She dropped her suitcase on the floor and shook off her coat, hanging it up. Her hands were shaking as Chicago’s face popped around the corner and he smiled at her brightly. “Hey! I didn’t expect you back until at least after dinner!” He said, making his way over to her and wrapping her up in a hug. Chloe froze in his arms and he pulled away, looking at her worriedly. “What’s wrong?” He said as she saw her eyes filling with tears. “Did something happen?” He pulled her along to the couch and sat her down. 

Chloe felt her throat closed up as she looked at his sweet face. He looked confused and worried. 

“I… Something did happen.” She started out, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“Did you have a fight with Beca?” Chicago guessed, grabbing her hand supportively. 

Chloe shook her head and sniffled. “Oh god… I… I don’t know how to tell you this.” She said, her voice breaking. 

Chicago looked at the redhead with confused eyes and squeezed her hand. “Just tell me.” His eyes fell onto Chloe’s neck, a suspicion building up inside him.

“Beca… We got very drunk and…. We… Beca and I…. We had sex.” The girl confessed, her voice breaking as she whimpered. “It… It was an accident and… I’m so sorry.” 

Chicago looked like the redhead just slapped him in the face and his hand slid out of hers. “You… what? What the fuck, Chloe?” He exclaimed, getting up, fuming. His eyes wandered over the hickeys in her neck and his eyes widened with anger. “Did she give you those? Jesus Christ.” He said, clenching his jaw and rubbing his hands together, furious. “Why?”

“I…. Chicago, you know we haven’t been the best lately. You’re almost never home and when you are we just fight. I missed… I missed being held.” She said, tears running down her cheeks. 

“So you just go and fuck the girl you were in love with in college? What the fuck Chloe! Why didn’t you talk to me?” Chicago yelled, his eyes flashing with anger. 

“I tried! But you always brushed me off. I… I thought you were cheating on me too.” The redhead whispered. 

“Cheating!? I was just… scared. Building a future together with someone is terrifying! I needed some time to think and prepare!” The brunette man exclaimed and shook his head unbelievably.

Chloe pushed herself off the couch and tried to grab his hand. “I’m so sorry. I… I didn’t mean to. I was drunk and… my desires just took over. It didn’t mean anything” She lied, hoping he would forgive her. 

Chicago’s eyes widened. He heaved up his hand and Chloe could feel a sharp sting on her cheek as he hit her. Her eyes filled with tears as she sank bank onto the couch, clutching her cheek. 

“You’re a slut! I can’t believe I ever trusted you. How dare you say it meant nothing when I sure as hell know you still love her. I’m done.” He said, his voice breaking. He ripped the ring he was wearing from his finger and threw it on the floor before turning around. He hesitated for a second but his jaw clenched and he marched out, slamming the front door behind him with a loud bang. 

 

Beca and Aubrey had parted ways, promising to stay in touch. The brunette knew it wasn’t going to happen, but she had to try. She really didn’t want to lose her girls. Even though the reunion ended on a bad note, she had fun the past days. She didn’t realize how much she had missed her Bellas. They were still fun to be around with and didn’t change much over the years.

When she stepped out to the exit, trying to hail a cab, she was immediately swarmed with paparazzi, all trying to get their pictures. They kept bugging her about her hickeys, who gave them to her, if she had a new lover. The brunette pushed past them into the nearest cab, exhaling when the driver sped off, leaving the annoying crowd behind them. Airport paparazzi were the worst.

Arriving at her home, she was engulfed in cold air and silence. She dropped her stuff off and crawled into bed, kicking off her pants before snuggling into bed, falling asleep, trying to escape her thoughts.

 

Chloe sat on the couch, tears falling from her eyes as she clutched her painful cheek. The hand squeezing her heart had just completely pulverized it, leaving only a gaping hole. She rocked herself softly, trying to calm down, but she only started crying louder. Her body racked with sobs until her voice was gone and she could just whimper softly. She sat there for hours, until there were no more tears left. She vaguely remembered promising Aubrey to text her as soon as she got home and her hands were shaking as she got out her phone, typing out a text to her blonde best friend. She thought about telling her the truth but she felt too ashamed to do so. “Hey Bree. I got home okay. Chicago and I obviously have a lot to talk about, but I’m hopeful. Don’t worry about me. X Chlo.” She typed out. She knew Aubrey would never let it go if she told her the truth and she was so tired of everything that the thought of the blonde bugging her made her decide to lie. When she sent the text, she dropped her phone next to her on the couch and wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her head on the side of the couch. She stared into nothingness for hours until she fell asleep, restlessly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can anybody HAND ME SOME TISSUES?


	8. Black dog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of self harm, suicide and general depression. Also, this and the chapters from now on will deal with a eating disorder. Please read with caution. Stay safe. If you need to talk, you can talk to me or Britt on twitter. Handles are @selimausx3 and @scrappylilgay. Take care <3

Chloe’s eyes shot open as the landline started ringing again. She groaned as her muscles protested and

wiped her mouth tiredly. She wished they would just leave her alone, she thought as she shakily got up and shuffled over to the dressoir, sinking through her knees as she pulled out the plug. Her own phone had been dead for several days and people probably realised so they tried to reach her over the house phone. The landline stopped ringing and she let out a thankful sigh. As she made her way back over to the couch, her legs were shaking. She curled up, falling back asleep instantly.

 

The last few days she hadn’t shown up to work and she was sure they already fired her. Not that it mattered. Chloe didn’t care. If she disappeared off the face of the earth right now, it would only be for the better, she realised. No one in the world needed her and she needed no one either. Her eyes were sad and empty as she stared at the TV. She soon realised the sound from the news channel was overwhelming, so she put it on a channel that didn’t work and stared at the static. Her eyes watered and she wiped them furiously. “Stop crying. There’s nothing to cry about.” She whispered to herself. Her stomach rumbled but she ignored it, biting her lip. She hadn’t eaten since Chicago left. She couldn’t. When she tried to put anything in her mouth, it would come straight back up again. So she decided to stop eating altogether. It was much easier anyway. Instead of getting the food she needed, she got out a bottle of Chicago’s expensive scotch. She unscrewed the lid and poured herself a glass. 

 

When Chloe had texted Aubrey that everything was okay, the blonde had replied to her text happily and told her that Jesse was taking her on a surprise backpacking trip through Thailand for the next three weeks. Chloe was happy for her. At least, that’s what she tried to tell herself. She didn’t know anymore what she was feeling. Her whole body felt limp and numb. She spent most of her day on the couch. Watching the static. It was calming. The empty bottle of scotch laid on the floor, just like all the other bottles of liquor Chloe had finished. There was none left and it saddened her. But getting more would mean going outside and the redhead prefered staying in.

 

Chloe’s whole body was shaking as she rested her back against the cold bathroom wall. She wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. Her stomach protested and she vomited again, tears streaming down her face. She felt like she couldn’t breathe and pinched her eyes closed as her lungs struggled to take in oxygen. After what seemed like hours, she shakily got up, feeling that her legs might buckle at any moment. Her head swam as she neared the couch and she sank to her knees, clutching the table shakily. “Fuck…” she whispered softly as tears leaked from her eyes. Unable to get any further, she curled up on the floor, passing out not soon after.

 

Theo noticed that Beca had been checked out ever since she came back from the reunion. “Hey Beca, can I talk to you?” He asked.

“About what? There’s nothing to talk about.” The brunette replied coldly.

Theo sighed. “So it’s got nothing to do with… Those hickeys of yours?” He smirked knowingly.

Beca’s eyes snapped up. “What? How? How do you know?” She hissed.

“You’re not that great at hiding them. Well, of course you covered them up, but when you bent over the table yesterday to get something, I spotted one. So. Spill.” The brunette man smiled smugly.

The smaller brunette grabbed Theo’s wrist and pulled him into an empty recording studio. “Okay fine. Something’s up.” She sighed. “This is rare that I’ll tell you something about my feelings. Cherish it.” She looked at the man sternly who just nodded. “So, I was really nervous about going because as you know, I had feelings for Chloe and we ended our friendship on a bad note. And all that came back up again. But as the hours went by we slipped back into our old selves. We had to share a goddamn bed which neither of us was ready for. But.. It felt nice, you know? And then…” Beca swallowed. “We took a bath together and I kissed her. I was really angry at myself, but we got over it. Then Beth, yes, THAT Beth, came back into my life. I went on a date with her, we ended up fucking. I was wasted as fuck though, and I ended up drinking more as I went back to my hotel room. Chloe was also drunk out of her mind, and before I knew it, we were making out and then one thing lead to another and yeah. That’s where the hickeys come from.” The brunette stopped to take a breath.

Theo just stared at her. “So, what does this mean?” He asked carefully.

“I don’t KNOW!” Beca cried out. “She’s still engaged to Chicago. And… I thought we could talk it out, try to figure out what to do next, but then Beth came back into the picture and ruined EVERYTHING.” The brunette let a tear fall which she wiped away quickly. “I couldn’t even react when she smugly revealed to Chloe that her and I banged right before I fucked Chloe. And… She was gone so fast…” She shook her head. “Her best friend yelled at me. She also dumped onto me that Chloe never stopped loving me. Like I did. And now she’s gone. I ruined something again. Like I always do.”

The brunette man looked at the girl in front of him empathetically. It hurt him that Beca was so heartbroken. “Well, I think you should try to reach out to Chloe.” He suggested softly, taking the brunette into his arms.

“How? Should I just call and be like “Hey, just wondering if you dumped your fiance yet. Also, are we still good?”” Beca shook her head, letting out a sad chuckle. “I don’t know what to say.” She rested her head onto Theo’s chest, her tears flowing freely now.

“Well, I think you should ask her how she’s doing. Ask her if she wants to talk. Apologize. Take it slow.” The man offered. “I know it’s hard. But you need to do it.”

Beca nodded softly. She knew she had to fix this. “I’ll go home.” She croaked out, pulling away from the hug.

“Okay. Go save your relationship.” Theo smiled supportively. The brunette girl gave him a nod.

 

Once she arrived at home, she pulled out her phone, opening Chloe’s contact. She stared at it. “Don’t be dumb Beca. It’s just one phone call. You can do it.” She whispered. Her finger ghosted over the call button. It was one small tap. One tap that could change her relationship with the redhead forever. “I can’t do this.” The brunette huffed and got up. She walked over to her alcohol cabinet, pulling out her favorite drink. “Whiskey, my best friend. Give me courage.” She said sweetly as she poured herself a glass. She downed it immediately before pouring another one. She grabbed the bottle, her glass and her phone and went into her living room. She drank a few more glasses and was feeling the buzz spreading through her body.

“Alright, time to do the inevitable.” She pressed the call button and closed her eyes. What she didn’t expect was for Chloe’s phone to go straight to voicemail. “Goddamnit.” Beca huffed. Maybe Chloe was busy right now. She grabbed her laptop and googled her landline number. After a few awkward calls to people who weren’t her Chloe, she thought she’s finally got it. However, that phone went straight to the busy signal. The brunette furrowed her brows. This was extremely weird. She called Chloe’s phone again, not hanging up this time.

“Hi! This is Chloe! Leave a message and I’ll get back to you!”

“Chloe what the fuck happened? Why’s your phone disconnected? Not only that but also your landline. Please tell me you’re safe…” Beca sighed. “Call me back? I want to make this right between us.” She hung up, dropping her phone into her lap before drinking another glass. She stared at the black TV screen in front of her, letting the silence of the house engulf her.

 

Two weeks had gone by. Chloe was taking her shower, or at least trying to. Her hands shook as she took off her pants and whipped her shirt over her head. Her pants didn’t fit her anymore, she realised sadly. She let the warm water run over her back, feeling it warm up her muscles. The last two weeks seemed like a nightmare. She couldn’t sleep well, couldn’t think. Every time she closed her eyes, she was plagued by nightmares. She cried a lot the first days, but now she just felt empty. She often wondered if this was what it felt like to die. Her heart stung a lot, making it hard to breathe. The lights in her house were too bright and hurt her eyes. She lived in darkness, her eyes getting used to getting around the room while not being able to see much. Her skin was bruised and pale and her hands shook constantly. As she washed her body, she felt her hip bones protruding just like her ribs. She turned around and washed the soap off of her. 

 

Her eyes fell onto the razor she kept in the shower and she grabbed it. Her knuckles turned white as she squeezed it. She set it onto her wrist and bit her lip. It would be so easy. Quick. Nearly painless. It would all be over. No one cared anyway. Maybe Aubrey would be sad at first, but she’d move on. Right? Her hand shook as she pushed the sharp blade into her skin. A small trickle of blood blended in with the water. Chloe wanted to press on. Put an end to all of it. But she couldn’t. Imagining the person finding her, the blood she would spill, it was all too much. She dropped the razor onto the shower floor and sniffled softly. “Too weak to do that, even.” She whispered. She turned the shower off, drying herself off. She wrapped the towel around herself and stepped out of the shower. When she looked at herself in the fogged up mirror, she couldn’t help but stare. She didn’t recognise herself in her reflection. She tore her eyes away and grabbed the razor from the bathroom floor, throwing it in the trash. She let out a sigh as she made her way over to her guest room to get dressed in the same clothes she had worn since Chicago left. Her hands fumbled with the white bandage she had wrapped around the cut on her hand palm. Every time she looked at it, it reminded her of the events in the hotel room and how drunk she had been when she cut her hand on the glass. The wound wasn’t healing and it looked bad, she knew that from a medical perspective. She knew she should have gotten stitches, but she couldn’t bring herself to go outside and visit a doctor. So she kept pulling the same bandage around it, hiding it from her sight. She bandaged up her cut wrist too, not giving it the attention it needed. “Should be fine.” She whispered.

 

As soon as she got downstairs, she filled up her water bottle and sipped from it. She knew she would die from dehydration if she didn’t drink, so she managed to do that much. Dying from dehydration seemed like a horrible way to go. As she turned on the TV to her usual channel, she relaxed when she heard the static. She pulled the duvet she had brought down from the guest bedroom over herself, curling up into a ball. She couldn’t bring herself to sleep in her bed.  _ Their  _ bed. The pillows and blankets smelled like Chicago and she couldn’t handle that so she had slept on the couch the past two weeks. It was slowly killing her back but that was much better than killing her heart. She hadn’t bothered to brush her hair and it dried up in tangles around her face. She fell asleep not soon after, her brow furrowed. She clutched her bandaged up hand close to her chest.

 

Beca was worried. Chloe still hadn’t called her back or texted. The temptation of flying over to New York was huge, but the brunette knew better. Maybe the redhead was just on a vacation with Chicago. Maybe she had chosen him over her after all. Beca bit her tongue and shook her head. She shouldn’t be thinking about this now. Instead, she focused back on her song writing. The lyrics were flowing out of her and she knew these songs would never see the light of day, but it felt good to get them out.

She hadn’t really been sleeping well, tossing and turning, trying to figure out what she did wrong and why Chloe never called. She thought of calling her again, but that would seem desperate. The days she spent working home increased, and she barely went outside anymore.

Her routine fell into a simple pattern. Wake up, make some coffee, go into the recording booth, work on songs, order takeout, live off takeout and eventually go back into bed to sleep. The only things straying from that pattern were her maybe showering and doing her laundry, or finally brushing her teeth after days. Beca didn’t care, she wouldn’t have to face anyone anyways.

 

It had been exactly three weeks since Chloe arrived home. Three weeks since Chicago left. Three weeks since she’d felt her heart. Three weeks without a solid meal. Her tears were gone and she just sat on the couch, staring outside or staring at the TV. A few days ago, someone had rang her doorbell. They stayed there for a long time, ringing it every few seconds or so. Luckily, they left after a while. Chloe didn’t care who it was and she was glad that they left. There was no one left in the world she wanted to see. 

 

She had gotten up and made her way over to the hallway to use the toilet when her eyes fell onto a letter lying on her doormat. She had gotten mail before, but had thrown it in the trash without looking at it. This however, seemed important. On the envelope was a stamp, in big red letters, saying “FINAL NOTICE”. Chloe furrowed her brow and grabbed it from the doormat with her thin fingers. She sat down on the stairs and ripped the envelope open. From it fell a letter. Her eyes widened as she read it. It told her that the apartment would be cleared out the next Friday. The rent had been cancelled. All their furniture and remaining belongings would be brought into custody. Chloe’s eyes filled with tears when she saw Chicago’s signature, signed neatly on the line. She looked around the hallway and wiped her tears. “Whatever.” She said softly, her voice soft and croaked. She walked upstairs with the letter still in her hand and packed two suitcases, filling them with all her favorite clothes and belongings. She noticed the clothes Chicago had left behind and grabbed one of his jackets, wrapping it up in her arms and sniffing it. Her breath got caught in her throat as she sobbed, falling back onto the bed. 

 

After a few hours, Chloe had cleared out the house and all her belongings were packed up neatly. Luckily, she wasn’t materialistic and all she owned could easily fit into two suitcases. She had thrown Chicago’s jacket in the trash. When she decided she was ready, she looked at the front door, a little intimidated. It had been weeks since she had gone outside and she let out a shaky breath as she unlocked the front door. She had put on sunglasses so everyone wouldn’t stare at the bags under her eyes and she wrapped her warm camel colored coat around her, securing the buttons. Her hands shook as she took the suitcases outside, slamming the door behind her with a bang. She looked up and pinched her eyes closed against the harsh light of the sun. 

 

She took a cab to the airport. When the cab driver helped her with putting her suitcases in the trunk, he noticed her shaking and bandaged up hands. “Are you alright, Miss?” He asked, taking off his sunglasses to take a better look at the thin woman in front of him. “I’m fine.” The redhead replied, her voice soft and her lips cracked. The cab driver nodded and opened the door for her, which earned him a small smile. They drove in silence and Chloe noticed the cabdriver stealing looks at her from his rear side mirror. She let out a sigh, trying to control her breathing as she looked outside tiredly. She wondered about what her next step should be and where she should go. At moments like this, she wished her parents were still alive. She would have a safe home to turn to. But sadly she lost that home years ago. She bit her lip as she tried to clear her head. She could go to LA and camp outside Aubrey’s house until she returned. Or she could visit Stacie in Atlanta. However, as soon as she got to the airport, a crazy idea had popped into her head and she ordered tickets to LA. She got on the plane, reading the in-flight magazines with a blank face, not able to concentrate on the letters dancing in front of her. When the flight attendant offered her the menu, Chloe shook her head and returned to reading the same sentence over and over again.  _ In the event of a crash, stay seated and put on your oxygen mask. _

 

When she arrived at the airport in LA and got her suitcases, she hailed a cab. She got out her phone to look for the address and showed it to the cab driver, who eyed her suspiciously. While they drove through the city, Chloe let her eyes wander over the buildings and the flashing lights. She couldn’t help but feel a small smile tug at her lips. She wondered how far their destination was, but she didn’t feel like asking the cab driver in case he concluded that her question was an invite to have a conversation. So she just gave in to the wait, her eyes closing as she dropped off to sleep, her cheek pressed against the damp car window. 

 

“Miss, we have arrived at your destination.” The cab driver’s stern voice woke Chloe up and she wiped her mouth, her eyes blinking tiredly into the darkness. “Oh, okay. Thanks.” She said a little sheepishly. She unbuckled her seatbelt and struggled out of the car, her muscles sore. The cab driver looked at her thin arms with a frown and proceeded to lift her heavy suitcases from the trunk of the car. “Should I bring them upstairs for you?” He asked, obviously expecting her to not be able to carry the weight. “Thanks, but I’m fine.” Chloe replied softly, paying him and shooting him a watery smile. He drove off quickly and the redhead let out a grateful sigh. “Okay, here comes the sucky part.” She whispered as she walked up to the big building in front of her. Pushing against the big glass door, she entered it. The apartment she was looking for was supposed to be on the third floor and she gratefully noticed there was an elevator, meaning she wouldn’t have to lift up her suitcases up all these stairs. She pressed the button with a shivering finger and felt her stomach turn as the elevator went up. She heard a soft ding as it arrived and the doors slid open, revealing a dark hallway with a red carpet. Chloe let out a shaky breath and stepped outside into the hallway, her suitcases trailing behind her. There was no going back now. She made her way over to the door and averted her eyes sadly as she noticed the nameplate on the door. “She’s probably not even home.” Chloe whispered to herself as she rang the doorbell, her heart beating in her throat.

 

Beca had just gotten out of the shower and brushed her hair. She brushed her teeth and slipped into her sweats. She was going to watch the new season of her favorite Netflix show tonight. Just as she was about to go to the living room, she heard her doorbell ring. Contemplating on opening it or not, she sighed before walking towards it. Whoever was visiting her better not be a fan. She grabbed her phone so she could call security if needed before looking through the small spy. 

What she saw, shocked her. She blinked, wondering if she was dreaming. She looked at red hair and didn’t need to see more. She threw the door open and engulfed Chloe in a tight hug, not believing she turned up on her doorstep. “Chloe!” She sobbed out, tightening her hug.

The redhead tensed underneath her and the brunette pulled away, looking at her. She wanted to say something but the words got caught in her throat. Chloe wasn’t looking like the girl who left her at the reunion. No, Chloe looked really bad. The bags under her eyes were huge. Her face looked broken, and it seemed like all joy had vanished, leaving behind only sadness and emptiness. Her cheeks were hollow. She was oddly slim, definitely skinnier than it was healthy to be. “C… Chlo…” Beca choked out.

Chloe couldn’t anymore. She broke down sobbing, her knees giving in. The sight of Beca’s face sent shots of sharp pain through her heart. She was both relieved and heartbroken and she would’ve fallen onto the floor if the brunette hadn’t held her. She felt herself being lifted up as Beca carried her inside, closing the door behind them with her foot. The younger girl carried her to the living room where she put her down onto the couch. Then, she wrapped her arms back around her, rubbing her back soothingly as the redhead cried heartbreakingly into the brunette’s chest. 

It pained Beca how thin Chloe felt in her arms, as she could clearly feel bones through the fabric of the redhead’s blouse. Chloe’s tears stained her top but she didn’t care. 

 

They sat there for god knows how long, Beca holding Chloe tightly in her arms as the redhead fell apart. She eventually got up to offer the older girl a glass of water which Chloe accepted, gulping it down. When the brunette wanted to wrap her arms around the redhead again, the other girl shook her head, so Beca sat and watched Chloe, who pulled up her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. She still cried softly, her body shaking with every sniff. Beca’s thoughts were running wild. Why was Chloe looking like she starved in these past three weeks? Why did she not reach out? What happened between her and Chicago? Did he hurt her? Her eyes roamed over Chloe’s body, stopping at her bandaged hand. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Chloe… what happened?” She said, hoping it would invite the redhead to talk. 

“I…” Chloe started, her voice nearly gone after crying. She cleared her throat painfully. “When I got home… I told Chicago what… what happened between us.” Her eyes were red as she looked up into Beca’s eyes, which were wide with worry. “He… he left. I haven’t seen him since… and I guess… I didn’t take it that well.” She said, smiling painfully. She got out the letter she had kept in her pocket, showing it to the brunette. “I guess he cancelled the rent… so… I had nowhere to go and.” Chloe bit her lip. “I… I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry.” Beca said softly. “Can I… Can I look at your hand?” She asked, deciding not to press on the other things for now.

The redhead nodded slightly, stretching out her hand. The brunette grabbed it gently, removing the bandages and gasping when she saw the cut. “We need to do something about this.” She bit her lip, thinking for a second before getting up. She walked into her bathroom, getting her first aid kit and walked back to Chloe. “This is going to sting a little. Bear with me.” Beca cleaned the cut with rubbing alcohol, the redhead yelping out in pain. She grabbed onto the other girl’s knee for support, clutching it. When the brunette finished, she bandaged it up again with a fresh bandage. “I’m dragging you to the doctor’s tomorrow.” She announced.

“No, please… don’t…” Chloe said weakly.

“But Chlo, this needs stitches. If we don’t go it’s going to leave an ugly scar behind.” Beca answered sympathetically.

The redhead retreated her hand. “I don’t want to go. The doctor is going to take one look at me and I’ll be hospitalized.” Her eyes were filled with fear, guilt and sadness.

The brunette sighed, understanding. “I don’t know what to do then. I don’t think this is going to be simple. I mean, you can’t just eat normal again all of sudden. If you really stopped eating altogether....Your body will have to adjust. The weight won’t come back just like that.”

“Please Becs. Just take care of my hand and give me food and I’ll try my best to eat it.” Chloe urged and clutched Beca’s hand. “I didn’t eat because I was miserable. But with your help I could get back on track.”

Something inside the brunette snapped. “Don’t you think I haven’t been miserable as well? The last time I went to work was 1 ½ weeks ago. I barely went outside too. I worked from home and did anything to keep me from worrying or thinking about you!” She exclaimed, making the redhead retract her hand again. 

She scooched away in fear, her eyes wide. “I’m sorry… I… I can go.” Chloe said sadly, already getting up shakily.

“No, I’m sorry for snapping.” Beca grabbed the redhead’s hand to pull her back onto the sofa. The redhead’s hands were freezing cold. “I’m just a little overwhelmed right now. I’m sorry to be so blunt but… you… you look like a corpse, Chloe.”

The redhead bit her lip and nodded. “I know.” 

They both sat in silence, not knowing what to say. The brunette thought about googling advice on what she should do with her friend, but she knew Google would almost always recommend her to go see a professional. But she had to respect the redhead’s wish to not go to the doctor's office. But she also couldn’t not do anything about it.

Her brain hurt from thinking and she looked at Chloe worriedly. “Uhm, okay. Well, how about this. You sleep here tonight. I have a guest bedroom you can use. Tomorrow, we’re going to think of a plan. You look like you haven’t slept in days and I have to admit I’m pretty tired too. We can’t think straight like this. Sound good?” 

Chloe nodded, her eyes tired. “Yeah… I guess.”

Beca got up from the couch, crossing her arms awkwardly. “Do… you need any help? Like… with your suitcases and getting dressed and stuff? And are you at least a little hungry? I can make you something!” She rambled.

For the first time since the redhead walked through the door, she cracked a smile. “You’re really cute. No, I’m fine. I’ll let you know if I need you, okay?” 

The brunette nodded and watched as Chloe struggled to get up from the couch. “So where is this guest room of yours?” She asked as she picked up her heavy suitcase with a groan. 

Beca hurried over to take it from her hands and was rewarded with another watery smile. “Follow me, m’lady.” 

 

When Chloe entered the guest bedroom, her eyes widened. “This is your spare bedroom? This one is bigger that my bedroom at home…” She said, amazed. 

Beca leaned against the doorframe with a smirk. “Yeah, being a music producer and singer pays well, I guess. Make yourself at home. There’s towels and stuff in the bathroom. I’ll… I’ll check on you in a while, okay?” 

The redhead smiled and nodded. “Thanks Beca… I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I’m-”

“Don’t mention it.“ The smaller girl interrupted. She turned around, leaving the other girl alone in the room.

 

Chloe turned off the shower and wrapped the towel around herself, drying off. Her hair dripped onto the bathroom floor and she hurried to wrap another towel around her damp curls. It was so weird to be in Beca’s house, using her shower. If she hadn’t been so tired, she’d probably freak out more. But all she could think about was the fluffy sheets and the soft mattress in the other room. So, after she dried off and brushed her hair, she shot on her soft pajamas and turned off the lights. As she stared into the bedroom, which was engulfed in darkness, she quickly flicked the switch again, bringing back the comforting light. She nearly fell onto the bed and shuffled underneath the duvet, enjoying the heavy weight of it and the soft silk hugging her body. Her hands were folded around the duvet like a chipmunk and she yawned, her eyes watering. She had wrapped the bandage Beca had given her back around her hand, securing it as best as she could. 

 

As if on cue, Beca appeared in the doorway, craning her neck to see if Chloe was already sleeping, cracking it on accident. 

The redhead giggled softly. “What the hell are you doing?”

The smaller girl looked at her, feeling busted. “Just… checking… if you were already asleep.” She tiptoed into the bedroom and sat down on the side of the bed, looking at Chloe adoringly. She looked extremely small in the big king sized bed. “Comfy?” 

Chloe smiled and nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever laid in such a comfortable bed.“ 

Beca grinned proudly and patted what she assumed was Chloe’s knee. “Now sleep. No worries for now. You’ve got a house, you’ve got a bed, and you’ve got me.“

“You’re amazing, Beca. Thank you.” The other girl replied, her voice thick with sleep.

“Always.” The brunette watched as Chloe closed her eyes, rolling onto her side. She felt a little creepy staring at the redhead like this so she silently got up, shuffling over to the doorframe. When she looked back, she saw Chloe’s even breathing underneath the duvet and smiled. She went to turn off the light but heard a yelp from the bed. “Can you keep the light on?” Chloe whispered softly. Beca smiled and flicked the light switch on again. “Goodnight, weirdo.” She said softly.

 

After making sure the redhead was asleep, Beca walked into her music room before she let out a scream. The walls were soundproof so she knew Chloe would never hear her. She started pacing around, her brain trying to wrap her head around this situation. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest. Chloe fucking Beale, her crush and best friend, whom she had another bad fight with, turned up at her doorstep, looking for shelter. And she didn’t turn up looking all healthy and happy. No, she looked sad and broken and was basically a walking corpse. And the brunette was the reason. If she had kept her hands to herself, the redhead wouldn’t have had to explain to Chicago what happened. He wouldn’t have left her like that. Beca slammed her fist against the soft material of the soundproof foam. She got that that man must’ve been heartbroken, even if he cheated on Chloe as well, but that he didn’t even think of checking on the redhead made the brunette even more angry. She blew out a breath and got out her phone, dialing a number. After a few rings, the person picked up.

“Demi, we’ve got an emergency.” Beca immediately said, not giving the other girl a chance to greet her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Demi to the rescueeee!


	9. Safe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are gonna get better from now on... I promise. :) Fluff ahead!

“Hello to you too…” Demi answered carefully. “What’s up?”

“Chloe turned up on my doorstep as a walking corpse and I do not know what to do.” Beca stated.

“Woah, hang on. What do you mean with “walking corpse”?” The blue haired girl asked.

“Well. Chloe hasn’t eaten these past three weeks. She’s so thin Demi… And she doesn’t want to go to the doctor’s. I would’ve taken her because of her cut in her hand because she didn’t get the needed stitches, but they would hospitalize her immediately and she’s scared of that.” The brunette explained as she walked around her recording studio frantically.

“Oh. But Beca, she should definitely go to the hospital! She could literally starve to death. Hell, she could have only days left!” Demi exclaimed, trying to make her friend aware of the situation.

“I know! But I can’t force her to go. I just…” Beca took a deep breath. “What can I do, at least for the time being? She will never ever forgive me if I brought her to the hospital.”

“Okay.” The blue haired girl bit her lip, thinking for a while. “I can only recommend that you start out slow. Extremely slow. Let her eat soup. Fruit, especially vegetables, are a good start as well. To kill two birds with one stone, let her eat veggie soup. It’s good.” 

“Thank you, Demi. Where would I be without you?” The brunette let out a relieved sigh.

“I still think you should see a doctor. They can professionally help you. This is just a solution to prevent Chloe from dying.” Demi said firmly. 

“Yes mom.” Beca replied. “I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow, alright?”

“Good. If she doesn’t go on her own I’ll come over and make her.” The other girl chuckled.

“Alright. Good night Demi. And thanks again.” The brunette smiled before hanging up. Now she had a temporary solution to her problem and she could feel the weight being lifted off her a little. She definitely had to question Chloe on what else happened these past three weeks.

 

Beca had headed to bed and fallen asleep not much later. The redhead on the other hand woke up in cold sweat, another nightmare plaguing her dreams. Shuddering, her eyes blinked into the light that Beca thankfully left on. A childish thought popped into her head. She could go to the other girl’s room and ask her if she could sleep with her.

Chloe bit her lip. She felt ridiculous for wanting Beca to cuddle her so she could sleep well. Assuming she could. After much more internal debate, she slowly got up, wobbling over to the brunette’s room. She didn’t bother knocking and walked in. She didn’t know where her bed was, so she flicked on the lights.

The brunette girl shot up immediately, her hands whipping in front of her defensively. “Oh, it’s you.” Beca relaxed and let her hands sink onto the blanket. “What’s wrong?” She asked softly.

“I had a nightmare.” Chloe confessed quietly. She stood in the middle of the room in her oversized pajamas, her hair sticking out to the side.

The brunette’s heart melted at how adorable the redhead was being. “Do you want to sleep with me?” She asked knowingly.

Chloe simply nodded and Beca turned on her lamp on her nightstand before motioning Chloe to turn off the ceiling lamp. Then, she lifted up her duvet, allowing the other girl to slip in. Once the redhead was in the bed, the brunette turned off the small lamp before snuggling up to her. “Don’t worry, I got you. I’ll fight off the demons that haunt your dreams.” She whispered.

Chloe had to smile a little. “Thank you.” She closed her eyes, enjoying the brunette’s arm wrapped around her waist. She had missed this in those three weeks that they were separated. She shamelessly cuddled a little closer into Beca, to which the other girl replied by tightening the grip around her waist. They fell asleep together, contently lying in each other’s arms.

 

The next morning, Beca’s alarm went off. She shut it off groaning before rolling back to face Chloe. The redhead was facing her, her brow slightly furrowed, her lips parted. A soft blush was tinting her cheeks. The brunette smiled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind the other girl’s ear. Considering that Chloe assumingly hasn’t slept well these past few weeks, Beca decided to roll out of bed and make breakfast. She grabbed her phone before quietly leaving the room.

Once in the kitchen, she looked around if she had any kind of soup or vegetables left. Groaning, she realized that she had to go grocery shopping due to the fact that she had ordered mostly takeout. She wrote a little note for Chloe, notifying her where she went before grabbing her keys. She put her hair up in a messy bun and started her walk to the closest supermarket.

 

Chloe woke up with a soft yawn, stretching her aching muscles.  The sunlight streamed in from the window and she felt more content than she had in a while. Then she realized where she was. She was in Beca’s bed, in the brunette’s apartment and the other girl was not in bed with her. Furrowing her brows, she got up, looking around. The room had a dresser, a few pictures of Beca with friends scattered on the walls, and the redhead had to smile when she saw pictures of the two of them or with the Bellas. It also had a keyboard standing around, probably when the brunette got inspired and wanted to play music. Besides that, the room didn’t have much more decorations. Minimalism was Beca’s style. 

The redhead made her way out of the bedroom. “Beca?” She called out, her voice cracking. When she got no response, she walked into the kitchen. She saw a few ingredients standing around on the counter along with a note. Chloe walked over and grabbed it. “Went grocery shopping. Kinda avoided that the past few weeks. I’ll be back asap. xx Becs” The redhead had to smile. She had missed the little notes the brunette made. And the fact that she ended it with “Becs” made her heart flutter. Maybe they were going to be okay again after all. 

Since she had nothing to do, Chloe walked into the living room, scanning it. It had a huge TV hung up on the wall, and beneath it was a TV stand with a BluRay- and DVD-Player, a gaming console labelled PS 5 and a stack of TV series and movies. The redhead had to chuckle. Beca was actually watching movies now. Next to it she had a huge bookshelf that was filled to the brim with all kinds of books. Some were worn out, indicating Beca had possessed them for a long time and even read it many times. Chloe let her slender fingers run along the spines of the books. She reached a huge window that granted her a view of the Hollywood sign in the distance. The redhead was envious of Beca’s apartment. It looked so huge and comfy, but also seemed very expensive. She turned around and walked back into the kitchen. She was thirsty, so she started her scavenger hunt for a glass. 

After she finally found them in a cupboard, she poured herself a glass before gulping it down gratefully. She poured herself another one before sitting down on a stool by the counter. She tapped her fingers on the counter absentmindedly, wondering when Beca would be back.

 

As if on cue, she heard the door open and a small grunting noise. Chloe giggled. Beca probably tried to carry all the grocery bags at once again. Then, the brunette appeared in the doorway, a few bags in both of her hands and one between her teeth. She nodded at the redhead before setting everything down. “Good morning.”

“Morning.” Chloe smiled softly. Her eyes scanned the paper bags and she got up to help Beca unpack. 

“Oh, Chloe, you don’t have to. Please just...relax.” Beca said, as she started to unpack the groceries, putting each product in their place. 

The redhead shook her head. “I wanna help.” She opened one of the paper bags and grabbed the carton of milk she found in there, putting it in the fridge.

Unpacking the groceries together like this reminded both of them of the time they lived together in their tiny apartment in New York. They smiled at each other goofily, obviously reminiscing.

“I missed this.” Beca admitted as they were done unpacking. “It’s really weird to have you around all of a sudden, but at the same time it feels like this is how it should be, you know?”

Chloe nodded, biting her lip. “Are you sure it’s okay that I stay here? I mean… you have to work and… I can understand if it’s a bother. I’ll try to find a place to stay as soon as possible..”

The smaller girl shook her head. “You can stay here as long as you want. I called my office this morning and I’m taking a week off. So I can… spend time with you.” She said, averting Chloe’s gaze. She could hardly tell the redhead that she took time off to make sure she ate and basically to take care of her.

“Okay.” Chloe whispered, feeling a little overwhelmed by Beca’s hospitality.

The brunette in question cleared her throat, crossing her arms a little awkwardly. “So….are you… hungry? Do you want to eat something?” She asked, looking up at her friend hopefully.

“I mean… I probably should. But it’s going to suck.” Chloe replied, looking down at her fumbling hands. 

“Okay, so what would you like? I can make you some soup?” The brunette offered, opening the fridge to get whatever the redhead wanted.

“Soup?” The taller girl asked, her brow furrowing. “I guess… that’s okay.” 

“Go watch some TV while I prepare it? The remote should be on the table.” Beca said, smiling sweetly at her friend before turning around to start preparing her meal.

Chloe stared at Beca unbelievably but couldn’t think of anything to say to express her gratitude so she made her way over to the living room, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. She sat down on the couch awkwardly, her back straight and not leaning back against the pillows. A car salesman on the screen blared at her and she turned down the volume, flicking through the channels. When she came across a channel that didn’t work, she smiled at the static. She set down the remote on the table and pulled her knees up to her chest, leaning her chin on them. 

 

Beca busied herself with preparing the soup for Chloe. She missed cooking for someone and felt herself smiling as she was cutting up the various vegetables. She threw them in a pan when she was gone and let the broth simmer for a while, stirring it absentmindedly. When the timer beeped, she was interrupted from her thoughts. She shook her head and turned off the stove. The soup smelled amazing and she took a sip, taste testing it. “Mmmm.” She hummed and she grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. 

 

When she made her way over to the living room to get Chloe, she stopped in her tracks as she saw what the redhead was doing. Her eyes were focused on the screen, glazed over. She looked like a little lost kid and Beca felt a tug at her heart. Her brows furrowed as she realised that the taller girl was watching the static on the TV. 

“Uhm… Chloe… your soup is done.” She said, entering the room fully.

Chloe’s eyes snapped up and she looked busted. She turned off the TV quickly and got up. 

“Right…” She said nervously. 

“Are you okay?” Beca asked, her eyes searching for any clue on how Chloe was feeling.

“Peachy.” Chloe said and let out a sigh. “I’m sorry… It’s a habit. I know it’s weird.”

The brunette shrugged. “I don’t care. You do you. I mean, I could definitely name some more exciting channels. But whatever suits you.” A small smile played at her lips.

She was rewarded with another one of Chloe’s watery smiles and felt her heart flutter. 

“Do you want to eat here or in the dining room?” Beca asked, leaning against the doorframe casually.

“I don’t… care. I guess here is fine.” The redhead replied. 

“Okay, take a seat. I’ll bring it over.” The other girl said and made her way over to the kitchen to get the soup.

When she returned, Chloe was sitting cross legged on the floor. She raised one eyebrow. “You… can sit on the couch, you know.” Beca said, amused.

“Oh! Well, Chicago never allowed me to eat on the couch so I figured…” The taller girl said awkwardly, shuffling over to the couch and heaving herself onto it. Beca rolled her eyes and placed the steaming pan down on the table, setting a small bowl next to it. 

“Tada.” She said, grinning widely.

“That… that looks great, Beca.” Chloe said, leaning forward to look at it better.

“Do you want me to fill you up a bowl or do you want to do it yourself?” The brunette asked, kneeling down so she could reach the pan. 

Chloe shrugged and motioned over to the bowl. “I…”

Beca was already grabbing the soup ladle and filled up the bowl with the steaming hot soup. She grabbed a spoon and plopped it into the bowl, handing it to the redhead. “Careful, it’s a little hot still.”

The taller girl wrapped her cold hands around the bowl and blew into it, the steam flying freely through the air. She looked up and saw Beca eyeing her expectantly. She giggled softly.

“I have to wait for it to cool down.” 

Beca averted her gaze and nodded. “Right, yeah… do you… do you want to watch actual TV?” She asked, sitting down on the couch next to the redhead. 

“Okay.” The older girl said, her face clouded behind the steam flowing from the bowl of soup.

The brunette turned on the TV and flicked through the channels until she came across a reality show. “Oh! I’ve not seen this episode yet!” She said excitedly.

Chloe snorted and laughed. “I didn’t have you pegged as a reality TV show watcher.” 

Beca felt a blush creep up her cheeks and pouted. “Well, it’s enjoyable okay? Seeing other people make stupid decisions makes me feel less bad about my own mistakes.” 

“It’s fine. I think it’s adorable.” The redhead replied. She relaxed a little more into the couch, holding onto the bowl and blowing it every now and then.

They watched TV in silence and Beca almost got lost in the dramatics of the people on screen when she heard the scraping of a spoon. She eyed the girl beside her nervously.

The redhead was looking at the spoonful of soup with big eyes. Beca felt like whatever she said would ruin the moment so she watched her silently as she lifted the spoon up to her mouth and took a sip. 

 

Chloe felt her taste buds exploding as the salty soup hit her tongue and savored the taste before swallowing it. She took another sip and bit down on the carrot she fished out of the bowl.

“Beca, this… is really good.” She said, smiling up at the brunette.

“Look at you go, eating a carrot. Proud of you.” Beca replied, feeling her heart flood with relief as Chloe kept spooning the soup into her mouth. 

After she had eaten about half of the bowl, Chloe felt her stomach turning. “Oh…” She said softly, putting down the bowl shakily. “I think I might throw up if I eat more.” She confessed. 

Beca smiled at her friend proudly. “Don’t worry. You did so good!” 

The taller girl smiled embarrassedly and looked at the brunette. “How did you think of giving me soup?” 

Beca let out a sigh. “Well… after you went to sleep I kind of freaked out a bit. I mean, you… you look really bad, Chlo. I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do. So I called my friend. She has… a history with this kind of thing. I asked her for advice.“

The redhead swallowed and looked down sadly. “I’m sorry for throwing this all on you. I know it’s a lot. I just… I had nowhere else to go.”

Beca nodded. “What about Aubrey? She lives close. Not that I want to chase you off. But I just want to know your thought process.”

“Aubrey is on a trip to Thailand with Jesse.“ Chloe explained. “I thought about going to her house to camp outside but… it seemed kind of cold. And the moment I arrived at the airport I somehow knew that I had to go here. It was almost like my body moved on it’s own.” 

Beca bit her lip. “Well, I’m glad you decided to come. I don’t want to think about what happened if you hadn’t…” 

“Then don’t. I’m here now. We’ll be okay. Right?” Chloe asked, hopefully.

“I… think so.” The brunette replied. She knew the redhead definitely wasn’t out of the danger zone yet, and if things didn’t improve in the new few days she’d have to take her to the hospital.

“I really liked your soup.” Chloe said after a while.

“I’m glad. I enjoyed making it. It reminded me of old times.” The smaller girl said with a smile. “Remember when I used to cook you breakfast every day?” 

Chloe grinned. “Yeah. That was really nice.” Her smile faded. “ I miss that. I miss you.” 

Beca’s breath got caught in her throat as the redhead’s ocean blue eyes filled up with tears as she looked at her sadly. “Oh, please don’t cry. You don’t… you don’t have to miss me anymore.” The smaller girl said softly and shuffled over to her friend. She wrapped her arms around Chloe, pressing the redhead against herself. 

Chloe sniffled against Beca’s chest. “I’m sorry for making you worry.” She whispered.

“It’s okay now. I’m glad you want me to help you. And I’ll try my best in helping you. And don’t worry if things seem to get too much. Just tell me and I’ll be right by your side, trying to find a solution to your problem with you.” Beca explained. She took a deep breath before continuing. “And yes, we didn’t end on a good foot… again. But… I want to make this work now. Conquer the bumps together. As friends first. I missed you and I want to have you back in my life. I’m sorry I made you feel worthless…” She sighed as she put her chin onto the redhead’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t have...I shouldn’t have done a lot of things while we were at the reunion. I’m sorry.”

“It just… it hurt, you know? But I know it’s also my fault. You’re not the only one to blame.” Chloe choked out. “Do you want to know why Chicago left?” She asked softly.

“Why?” The brunette asked.

“He didn’t cheat, Becs. He was just scared and unsure of our future together. He didn’t deal with it in the correct way, sure, but basically I was the asshole in the end. The girl who couldn’t keep her hands to herself just because she thought her fiance was cheating on her and she had a burning desire to be touched.” The redhead sniffled. “I guess his friends were right after all about me being a slut.” 

“No. Chloe, you’re not a slut.” Beca immediately interrupted. “You’re many things, but slut? Not one of them.” She pulled back, cupping the other girl’s cheek with her hands. “You’re amazing. You can be so extremely strong if you need to be. Your antics never fail to put a smile on other people’s faces. You’re so sweet and caring. Hell, you managed to single handedly turn my life upside down. And the only thing you did? Barged into my shower and insisted I should join your acapella group.” Chloe chuckled weakly and the brunette smiled softly, wiping away the tears that were streaming down the redhead’s face. “You’re a pretty amazing person, and if Chicago’s friends failed to see that, it’s their loss honestly. And Chicago? He’s an asshole for leaving you alone like that.”

“Thank you.” Chloe said quietly, her eyes drowning in Beca’s. 

There was a beat between them, and it almost felt like time had stopped. They were just looking at each other, communicating without words. The redhead bit her lip, her eyes flickering down to the brunette's lips. Beca saw that but she knew now wasn’t the right time for that, so she let her hands wander down to Chloe's shoulders and squeezed them. Then, she retracted her hands and let them drop into her lap. “I’ll clean this up and then we can see what we could do today, yeah?” 

The other girl nodded and the brunette grabbed the redhead’s soup bowl before cleaning it up.

 

When she was in the kitchen, an idea popped into her head. She felt a smile tug at her lips while she did the dishes and when she was done she grabbed her coat from the chair she had dropped it on when she got home. She shrugged it on while walking back towards the living room, where Chloe was waiting for her. The redhead looked up when she heard her walk in and raised her eyebrows.

“Are you going somewhere?” She asked confusedly.

Beca cracked a smile. “Yes, only for a little bit. I just need to get something real quick. It’s a surprise. Why don’t you take a shower while I’m out? Get nice and cosy.” 

Chloe nodded and got up, shuffling over to Beca nervously.

“What is it?” The brunette smiled.

“It feels weird to be in your house alone. “ The redhead admitted shyly.

“I get it. But just remember that you’re welcome here. Now go shower.” Beca said with a wink. “I’ll be back in half an hour or so, so take your time.” 

 

After Beca had left, Chloe made her way over to the bathroom. She undressed silently and turned on the shower, closing her eyes and enjoying the warm water running across her back. Beca’s shower rack was filled with expensive looking soaps and the redhead felt almost embarrassed using them. Almost. She rubbed the soap into her hair and cracked a small smile at the amazing smell filling her nose. She took a long time in the shower, warming herself up and experimenting with the different soaps.

 

Beca heard a soft bell ding as she entered the DVD rental store. The bored looking employee looked up in surprise, raising his eyebrows. The tiny brunette smiled at him kindly and leaned against the counter. “Hey, dude. I’m gonna need every Disney movie you own.” She said, immediately feeling a little embarrassed because he probably assumed they were for her. “They’re for my girlfriend. She’s ill.” She explained with a smile.

“You know that most of them are on Netflix right?” The employee said, looking bored. 

Beca raised her eyebrows. “Just get me the movies, man.” She said a little angrily.

“Alright. Let me get you a box.” The pimply employee said and he went to work a little reluctantly.

Beca nodded and started browsing the racks. Together they collected all the Disney movies scattered throughout the store. “You can rent them for 2 days.” The employee said in a bored voice, noting down the titles. “That’s not enough. Can I rent them for like… 2 weeks?” The brunette asked, tapping her nails on the counter. 

“No.” The employee simply replied. 

“I’ll buy them from you. I don’t care how much, just give me a price.” Beca pushed, getting a bit annoyed with his tone. The employee raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a little more interest than before. “It’s not like anyone rents movies anymore.” The brunette added. 

“Fine. Give me 100 dollars.” The employee said with a smirk. 

Beca dug into her wallet and slapped the bill onto the counter angrily. “Thanks.” She said, taking the box from the baffled looking employee and making her way outside. She let out a strained huff as she carried it to her car. 

 

As soon as Chloe got out of the shower, she slipped into Beca’s fluffy bathrobe. It smelled like her and the redhead took a deep breath, smiling to herself. When she looked in the mirror, she noticed a soft blush forming on her pale cheeks. She brushed her hair and made her way over to the living room after putting on her pajamas again. The pants nearly slipped down over her hips so she tied the string a little tighter, keeping it in place. She had already bought them a little too big because that was comfortable and she liked them that way, but regretted her decision now. She took Beca’s bathrobe with her and snuggled up on the couch, wrapping the robe up in her arms and taking in the brunette’s smell. She closed her eyes tiredly, feeling all warm and fuzzy from the shower. 

 

Chloe had almost fallen asleep when she heard the front door open and heard a struggling Beca call out her name. “Come see what I got!” The brunette shouted in a strained voice. 

The redhead quickly got up from the couch and ran over to Beca, still clutching her bathrobe in her hands. 

The other girl was holding a big box and the taller girl could just see her head popping up above it. “Help me put it down?” The shorter girl asked and Chloe hurried over to help her friend.

“What the hell is this?” The redhead said, looking at the box confusedly. 

“You’ll see!” The brunette said as she shook off her coat and took off her shoes. When she looked at Chloe, Beca raised her eyebrows. “Why are you clutching my bathrobe like a lifeline?” She said with a small smirk. 

Chloe blushed and hugged it to her chest. “I...I was cold.” She said, embarrassedly. 

Beca’s smirk widened knowingly and she chuckled. “Right…”

She took the box in her arms and motioned for Chloe to follow her to the living room, ordering the redhead to sit down on the couch. She plopped the box next to her and motioned for her to open it. Chloe had draped the bathrobe over her lap and unfolded the flaps of the box, leaning over it excitedly. The brunette could hear a small gasp escape her friend’s lips and she smiled smugly. “Oh my gosh, Becs!” Chloe said, taking out the Disney DVD’s one by one, admiring each one of them separately. “Where did you get these from?!” She asked, clutching the boxes in her arms. 

Beca shrugged and smirked. “I have my ways. Thought you’d like to watch something else than the static or my stupid reality shows.” She blushed a little.

Before she knew it, she felt small arms wrap around her neck. Chloe buried her face in Beca’s neck and the brunette hugged her back, laughing. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

“It was no big deal. Let me make some unhealthy snack for me and some healthy snack for you and then maybe I can endure watching one with you.” The smaller girl smiled and winked before getting up. “You pick one in the meantime!”

 

Beca had made herself some popcorn and cut up some watermelon for Chloe, humming to herself happily. She poured both of them some water and brought all of it over to the living room only to find Chloe sitting on the floor, in her pajamas, which looked giant on her, Disney movies scattered all around on the floor. “Still haven’t picked huh?” She asked as she sat down the snacks.

The redhead shook her head, her brows furrowed. “I can’t decide between The Lion King, The Little Mermaid or Aristocats.” She pouted.

Beca felt her heart warm up at the sight of her friend, finding it absolutely adorable. “The Lion King is too sad. Let’s go with Aristocats. Cats are cool as heck.” The brunette said with a smile. “You know you’ll be able to watch all of them, though, right?” She added.

Chloe nodded and grabbed the box containing Aristocats, shuffling over to the DVD player. She pressed what looked like the ON button, furrowing her brow when nothing happened. “Oh…”

“You pressed the forward button.” Beca chuckled. “Here, let me.” She pressed on the open button, putting the disc into the holder before closing it again, pressing play. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Chloe sat back, her eyes shining magically as the Disney logo appeared. The intro song started playing and the redhead moved her head along to the cheerful music, looking at Beca happily who just rolled her eyes.

 

They were halfway into the movie and Chloe was snuggled up to Beca, who was watching with a scowl. “This butler is crazy as hell” She whispered, but the redhead shushed her. 

“Look at him go!” Beca said when he drove his motorcycle through the water. She couldn’t stop herself from giggling. 

Chloe smiled at the brunette. “I thought you didn’t like movies?”

“Well, this guy is hilarious!” Beca said defensively.

The redhead smirked knowingly and they continued watching, occasionally dancing along dorkily with the musical numbers.  

 

When the movie finished, Chloe smiled brightly. “That was great!” She said, getting up. “More!” 

She opened the case of the next movie excitedly, getting on her knees to put it in the DVD player, but felt Beca’s hand on her arm. 

“Chlo, you have to eat your watermelon first, okay?” The brunette said softly. 

Chloe’s eyes roamed over the yellow bowl with watermelon, which was still untouched. “Oh… Okay.” The redhead whispered, grabbing it nervously. She stabbed the fork into a piece and plopped it into her mouth. She chewed, swallowing it before taking another bite. 

Beca watched her intently and cracked a supportive smile. When Chloe finished the entire bowl, the brunette patted her shoulder proudly. “Now, let’s watch the shit out of some Disney movies.” She grinned, earning a bright smile from her friend. 

 

Beca and Chloe had binged on Disney movies for the past few days, watching them till late at night and sleeping in the next day. They shared Beca’s bed, the guest room deserted once more. Right now, they were cuddled up together on the couch. Beca had her arm wrapped protectively around Chloe’s shoulder and looked the redhead with a smile as she was watching The Little Mermaid. “Ariel has red hair like me. I always liked that as a kid.” The redhead mumbled sleepily. 

“Yeah. I think she was one of my favorite princesses when I was young.” Beca admitted with a smirk. “It might have had to do with the fact that she was basically nearly naked throughout the entire movie.” 

Chloe gasped. “She’s like… 16!” 

“Well, technically I was younger than her back then, so nothing wrong with that.” Beca chuckled.

“You’re so weird.” The redhead replied with a grin.

Beca squeezed her shoulder and looked at the clock, which showed her it was 2:30 am. “This is the last one, kay? We should head to bed.” 

“Yeah.” Chloe replied softly, stifling a yawn. They went back to watching in silence.

When they got to the part where Ariel went on a date with Eric, sailing over the river in a little rowboat, Beca looked down at Chloe. The redhead was clearly struggling to keep her eyes open and her cheeks were flushed with sleep. It looked absolutely adorable. 

 

_ There you see her _

_ Sitting there across the way _

_ She don't got a lot to say _

_ But there's something about her _

 

Beca’s ears perked up as the song started, listening to the words intently. 

 

_ And you don't know why _

_ But you're dying to try _

_ You wanna kiss girl _

 

_ Yes, you want her _

_ Look at her, you know you do _

_ It's possible she wants you too _

_ There's one way to ask her _

_ It don't take a word, not a single word _

_ Go on and kiss the girl... _

  
  


Beca felt a blush creep up her cheeks as she heard the lyrics. Her eyes flicked down to Chloe’s lips, which were slightly parted. The brunette felt her heart beating loudly in her chest as she leaned forward ever so slightly, completely caught up in the moment. She saw Chloe’s blue eyes roam over her face, looking at her intently. Beca wanted really badly to feel Chloe’s soft lips again. She let her hand slip from the redhead’s shoulder, snaking it around her back instead and pulling the redhead closer to her. She closed her eyes and moved forwards even more, feeling Chloe’s breath hit her face. She felt the redhead’s bandaged up hand on her arm and Beca froze. She couldn’t just give in to her desires when Chloe was still so broken and fragile. Not yet. It took everything inside of her to pull away from the redhead and she let her arm drop from the taller girl’s back. “Let’s finish the movie tomorrow. I saw you dropping off to sleep.” Beca said, still a little breathless. 

“Okay.” Chloe answered, her voice thick with sleep. 


	10. Take my hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what's gonna happen here? Something that's gonna make you gasp. Pure fluff. (;

_ 2 weeks later  _

 

Beca flipped the pancake she was making absentmindedly, humming a non existent song. Chloe entered the room, rubbing her eyes tiredly. “Good morning.” The brunette greeted her, flashing her a smile.

“Mornin’.” The redhead yawned as she plopped down on the stool by the counter. 

“Did you sleep well?” Beca asked as she made another pancake.

Chloe hummed in response, resting her arms on the counter and lying her head down on them. “I had another nightmare though.” She mumbled. Her nose twitched as she smelled the sweet smell coming from the pancakes Beca was making. “Those...smell nice.” She said absentmindedly as she watched her friend intently. “But I’m pretty sure I couldn’t even eat one.” 

“You could have a bite. I don’t think your stomach would protest that much. They’re light.” The brunette smiled at her friend.

“Really?” The redhead asked, not believing the other girl.

“I could make you a mini pancake.” Beca giggled as she splotched a small pancake batter into the pan. “See? Mini.” She said, lifting it up with her spatula when the pancake was more solid.

“That looks adorable.” Chloe smiled widely. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” The other girl shrugged as she plopped the plate with the redhead’s pancake down in front of her. “Here you go.” 

Chloe blinked at the small pancake in front of her. “I got to take a photo first, hang on.” She giggled as she went back to her bedroom to retrieve her phone. Beca chuckled as she put down her own pancakes and poured herself a coffee and her friend some water. She also put a bowl of fruits next to Chloe’s plate so she could eat that as well.

 

When the redhead came back, she took a picture before grabbing her fork and knife, cutting off a small piece. She plopped it into her mouth, immediately marvelling at the taste. “After my vegetable and fruit diet, this tastes like heaven!” She said excitedly, cutting off another piece.

“Glad you like it. The cook feels honored.” The brunette smiled. She was glad Chloe was getting a little more adventurous with her eating habits. “Look, I need to work today. I’ll be in my studio, okay?” 

“Okay.” Chloe nodded. “What could I do? I’ve seen nearly all the Disney movies.” She pouted.

“Well, I have seen you eyeing my bookshelf. Feel free to grab a book or two and read it. There are some really nice ones, so I’m sure you’ll find something.” Beca smiled.

The redhead had to blush that her friend had noticed her not so subtle glances. “Thank you.” She whispered.

“Anytime.” The brunette smiled softly. “Well, let’s finish up eating and then we’ll do the dishes together, yeah?”

Chloe nodded, smiling, and went back to eating.

 

After they were done with the dishes, Beca looked at Chloe’s hand with a frown. It still wasn’t healing well and the brunette had tried her best to clean and bandage the wound as much as possible. It seemed like the wound just refused to heal. The brunette was worried it had to do with the lack of vitamins in the redhead’s body, which made her anxious. “Show me your hand?” She asked the redhead shyly. 

“Oh, okay.” Chloe replied, already used to Beca acting as a nurse the past two weeks. She extended her hand and looked at the brunette as she unwrapped the bandage. 

Beca let out a sigh. It still didn’t look much better than it did when Chloe arrived. A small scab had formed on the cut, but it kept opening up and the skin around the wound was red. The brunette wondered if it was inflamed. “Chlo… we really need to see a doctor about this.” 

“But…” Chloe said with a pout. She looked terrified.

“Next week, okay?” Beca said, cursing herself internally for allowing Chloe to keep pushing the date back.

“Okay!” 

  
  


After wrapping the bandage back around the redhead’s hand and securing it, Beca had disappeared into her recording room, leaving Chloe to her own devices. The redhead sat on the couch, tapping her fingers on the side of it. She let her eyes scan across the living room. “Ah, fuck it.” She said, and made her way over to the bookshelf, knowing exactly what book she wanted. Her slender fingers stroked the old cover and she smiled at the golden letters spelling out ‘The secret garden’. She took it back to the couch and opened it. On the first page was a note from Beca’s dad. 

_ Hey honey, _

_ Happy 8th birthday! _

_ This book is about secrets and I thought you would like it because I know how much you love them. _

_ I love you!  _

_ Dad _

Chloe cracked a sad smile and stroked her fingers over the messy, dad-like handwriting. It reminded her of her own dad’s. She shook her head at the sad memory and flipped the page. As she started reading, she bit her lip and curled up on the couch, the book prepped up on her knees. 

 

Beca let out a groan, slamming her fists on the mixing board. For some reason, she couldn’t get Taylor’s song to sound right. It felt like something was missing, but she had no idea what it could be. She bit her lip and looked at the blonde on her computer screen apologetically. “I’m sorry Tay. I just… I don’t know what it’s missing and it’s frustrating the fuck out of me.“ She said to her. They always skyped while Beca was editing songs, because Taylor insisted on being part of the entire process. 

“Don’t worry. You’ll make it work. You always do.” The blonde smiled, tapping her pen on her desk. 

Beca smiled hopefully and started the song over again, pushing some buttons to try and make it work. 

 

After a few hours, Chloe was halfway through the book. Her brow was slightly furrowed as she scanned the pages, reading at a rather fast pace. Mary’s story was incredibly interesting. Even though the little girl was extremely unlikeable, Chloe still felt for her. The story was interesting, but Chloe’s mind kept wandering down to the studio where Beca was working. When she finished the next chapter, she let out a sigh and closed the book. Her eyes scanned the apartment as she wondered what Beca was doing. She silently got up from the couch and tiptoed down the hallway until she appeared in front of the door labeled studio. Chloe had to snicker. Why did Beca label the rooms in her house? Like she would forget which room was which? A smile formed on the redhead’s lips as she knocked on the door. 

 

When she heard the sound, Beca made a surprised snoring sound and looked up from the keyboard she had rested her head on to take a quick power nap, wiping her mouth. “Come in!” She said, immediately cracking a smile as Chloe appeared in the doorway. “Hey!” She said happily, feeling more light as soon as she saw the redhead’s smile. 

“Hey. I was just wondering what you were doing.” Chloe admitted a little shyly. 

“Oh me? I’m just… I’m dying Chloe.” Beca deadpanned. 

“Dying?” The redhead asked, her eyes a little wide. She moved away from the door frame, cautiously making her way over to her friend. “Why are you dying?”

“Who’s there, Beca?” Chloe’s head snapped to the laptop as she heard a sudden voice coming from that direction. When she saw whatever was on the screen, her mouth fell open.

“Is… is that T-Taylor Swift?” She stuttered, her eyes widening.

Beca cracked a huge smile. “The one and only.” 

Taylor waved a little sheepishly at the redhead, making her gasp. 

“Why are you skyping Taylor Swift? What is happening? Am I dreaming?” She rambled. 

The brunette had to laugh. “You do remember what my job is, right?”

“Uh… Music producer and singer?” Chloe said, making it sound more like a question.

“And what do those people do?” Beca asked.

“They work together with artists to produce new songs.” The redhead concluded. “Yeah. Oops.” She smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. “Forgot about that.” Both Beca and Taylor laughed and Chloe chuckled embarrassedly. She stared at the screen, still a little weirded out. “So you… you just write songs together...just like that?” She asked after a while.

Beca sighed. “Well, we try to. But I’m kind of stuck right now and it’s really fucking annoying me.“ She crossed her arms a little defeatedly. 

“You’ll work it out. You always do, right?” Chloe said, rubbing Beca’s arm supportively. 

Taylor cleared her throat awkwardly. “Oh right! Taylor, this is Chloe. You know… my… friend I told you about.” Beca said, giving Taylor a warning look. 

“Oh! From the Bellas, right?” Taylor smiled, eyeing Chloe who had sat down next to Beca.

The redhead stared at the screen. “She knows the Bellas?” She said, unbelievably. 

“Oh, of course I do! That’s where it all started for Beca!” Taylor beamed. “Weren’t you the one that made her audition?” 

Chloe nodded and looked down shyly. “Yeah… that was me.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Chloe! I’ve heard so much about you!” Taylor smiled, making the redhead blush even more.

“Same here.” She mumbled, making Beca grin. 

“Okay, so. Maybe you can help me figure this out, Chlo. We have finished this song, but we both feel like it’s missing something. Would you like to hear it? Maybe you can give us a new insight.” She offered, her face hopeful.

“Am I allowed to do that? Won’t I get sued or something for listening to it before release?” Chloe asked worriedly, making both women laugh again.

“We’re the one releasing it, honey. No worries.” Taylor said with a giggle.

Chloe nodded. “Okay. I’d love to listen to it.” 

Beca handed her the headphones and she put them on, signalling to her friend that she was ready.  

 

After Chloe had listened intently for a couple of times, she pulled the headphones down, thinking. She could feel the eyes of the other two on her and she realized how much they were depending on her. “Well…” She spoke up. “I really like it. I just think that… Maybe you should have another person sing one of the rap verses. You have three rap verses and try to cover it as two, which is fine, but I think it would be better if you have another artist. And I think the verses sound a little plain. You could add in another background voice there. ”

Beca’s eyes widened and she glanced at Taylor who mirrored her expression. “Chloe. You. Are. A. GENIUS!” She hugged her friend, proceeding to kiss her cheek. “You’re so smart, I never thought of that!” She said excitedly as she turned her attention back to the blonde. 

The redhead blushed furiously, her breath getting caught in her throat. Her cheek burned where Beca had kissed it. It was just a “in the moment” gesture, but she replayed it over and over in her head, smiling sheepishly.

“That’s surely a start. Who should we pick though? Do you know anyone who’d be perfect for the song?” Taylor asked, pursing her lips.

“A rapper?” Beca offered.

“Nah. They’re dicks.” The blonde shook her head. “We should look for another female artist.”

“There are also female rappers.” The brunette chuckled. “But I don’t know who we could choose.”

“Chloe!” Taylor suddenly exclaimed, making both girls jump.

“Y-yes?” The redhead stuttered.

“How about you sing? Beca mentioned how you two loved to rap No Diggity together. I’m sure you’ll do just fine with this song!” The blonde smiled brightly.

Chloe felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “You… you want me to rap on your song? Like an actual song that’ll get released on your album and might play on the radio?” 

“Is she always this starstruck?” Taylor asked with a chuckle. 

“Apparently. “ Beca smirked. “Yeah, you’ll be heard on the single. Duh.”

Chloe let out a shaky breath. “You really think I can do that?” 

“Yes!” Taylor and Beca said in unison, making her jump. The three of them laughed. 

“Well… okay. I can always try.” The redhead said a little nervously. 

 

After taking Chloe through the lyrics and listening to the song a few times, Beca had taken her over to the recording booth. She handed the redhead a set of headphones and tapped the microphone. “Okay, so... I’m going to play the song in the headphones. You can just… add in whatever you feel like. Just like we did with the Bellas. And then we’ll record the rapping part. Okay?” The brunette said with a grin as she sat back in her chair, her hands ready on the mixing board. She knew the redhead would be able to do what she asked of her and the thought made her heart flutter. Chloe nodded and she heard the song start to play through her headphones. She listened intently and started adding in some background singing, closing her eyes. 

 

“She’s amazing, Beca.” Taylor said, her eyes a little wide as they both listened to what Chloe had recorded. 

“I know she is.” The small brunette replied, giving Chloe the thumbs up from behind the mixing table. She tapped the microphone button so the redhead could hear her through the headphones.

“Chlo, you’re brilliant. You feel okay about recording the rap now?” 

The redhead nodded shyly. She cleared her throat and looked at the lyrics swiftly when the music started up again.

 

_ Knew her when I was young _

_ Reconnected when we were little bit older, both sprung _

_ I got issues and chips on both of my shoulders _

_ Reputation precedes me, in rumors, I'm knee-deep _

_ The truth is, it's easier to ignore it, believe me _

_ Even when we’d argue, we'd not do it for long _

_ And you understand the good and bad end up in the song _

_ For all your beautiful traits, and the way you do it with ease _

_ For all my flaws, paranoia, and insecurities _

_ I've made mistakes and made some choices, that's hard to deny _

_ After the storm, something was born on the 4th of July _

_ I've passed days without fun, this endgame is the one _

_ With four words on the tip of my tongue, I'll never say it _

 

Beca was basically drooling as she watched her friend sing her heart out. The lyrics were oddly fitting for this current situation. Taylor giggled. “You’re drooling. Wipe it before she sees it.” 

The brunette wiped her little streak of saliva away as the redhead finished up singing. Beca gave her a dorky thumbs up, smiling widely.

 

When they finished recording, Chloe excused herself after saying goodbye to Taylor and thanking her. She left the studio and the other girl promised her that she’d be ready soon. As the door shut behind Chloe, Taylor got closed to the camera with a knowing look. “So…” Beca said awkwardly. “Holy shit Beca!” Taylor exclaimed. “That’s THE Chloe!?” 

Beca shushed the blonde, turning down the volume frantically. 

“She’s stunning! I can totally see why you are head over heels for her!” Taylor continued.

“Shut up, shut the fuck up! She’s just here because she had nowhere else to go. It probably won’t be for very long.” Beca retorted, blushing furiously.

“She had nowhere else to go? What do you mean?” The blonde on her computer asked. 

“Things happened and her rent was cancelled. I’m just taking care of her for now…” 

“She did… look a little ill. What happened to her?” Taylor said, her expression becoming worried.

Beca let out a sigh. “She hadn't eaten a solid meal for three weeks when she came here. Basically starved herself. I’m trying to let her eat again, and have been for the past two weeks. It’s hard though. It’s like her body doesn’t know what food is anymore.” 

Taylor’s eyes softened. “I see. Have you been dealing with this all by yourself?” She said, looking at Beca with concerned eyes. 

“Well, I called Demi immediately. You know, because she has some experience with this kind of thing.” The brunette admitted.

“Good call. I hope Chloe will feel better soon.” The blonde on her screen smiled supportively.

“Me too. Thanks Taylor. I’m glad this song turned out great. I’ll send it to you when I finish mixing in Chloe’s rap, so you can listen to it and we can make the final version. Okay?” 

“Okay! Love you!” Taylor chimed from her computer.

“Hate you too, nerd.” Beca said as she cancelled the call, slamming her laptop shut and feeling butterflies fly through her stomach at the thought of Chloe waiting for her in the living room. 

 

“So, we’re going out tonight. You haven’t left the house in two weeks and your skin is pale as hell.” Beca announced to the redhead, who was snuggled up to her on the couch. “You need some fresh air.”

Chloe swallowed heavily. “But…”

“No buts! I’ve been really nice the past two weeks, but it’s time, Chlo.” The brunette moved away from the redhead, looking at her warningly.

“Oh… Okay.” Chloe said, averting her gaze. “We can do something fun! It doesn’t have to be all bad.” Beca replied with a smile, poking the redhead’s knee teasingly. 

“Like what? I have no idea what we can do out here.” 

“Well, let’s look it up on Google.” The brunette smirked as she got out her laptop and started typing.

“25 things you have to see while visiting LA?” Chloe said with a giggle.

“I mean, there might be some good things on here!” Beca chuckled. They leaned close together and scrolled through the article. “We have to visit the Walk of Fame, of course.” The brunette said, seeing a picture of the star filled sidewalk.

“Hold on, go back!“ Chloe suddenly said and Beca scrolled back up. “What’s that?” She pointed her finger at a picture of a lot of lamp posts, lined up in rows. “That’s the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and those are the famous lamp posts outside of it. I actually think it’s pretty boring.” The brunette explained, already wanting to scroll on. 

“It looks so pretty!” The taller girl next to her exclaimed. “I wanna go there!” 

Beca groaned and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Nerd.” She chuckled as Chloe looked at her, offended. “We’ll visit the museum, stroll down the Walk of Fame and get something to eat after?” The brunette suggested with a soft smile, shutting her laptop again. 

“Yes!” The redhead exclaimed happily and wrapping her arms around the smaller girl’s neck, which made Beca smile even wider. 

 

“So… is this… like a date?” Chloe asked after they got into Beca’s car and started driving. She was wearing a black skirt, tights and a blue blouse which was tucked into her skirt neatly. Her red curls were pulled into a ponytail, which swished through the air whenever she turned her head. Opposite to Chloe’s skirt, Beca was wearing ripped jeans and some striped flannel, rocking a black beanie. 

The brunette slammed her breaks at Chloe’s question, making the cars behind them honk angrily at the pair. The redhead sucked in a breath, not used to being yanked forward so abruptly. “Do you want it to be a date?” Beca asked, looking at her friend confused, hopeful and shocked at the same time. 

“I don’t know…” Chloe replied, looking outside of the window awkwardly. “I guess?” 

“Then it’s a date.” Beca stated nervously, feeling butterflies in her stomach. 

“Okay.” Chloe whispered, feeling the same fluttery feeling in the pit of hers. They were silent for the rest of the car ride and Beca turned up the radio a little, tapping her fingers along to the beat on the steering wheel. Chloe looked at the orange evening sky, marvelling at how beautiful it was. The lights of the LA cityline flashed past her and she prepped her arm up on the car door, leaning her head on it and looking outside dreamily. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Beca said after a while, having noticed the redhead’s amazed state.

Chloe blushed and nodded. “Yeah. It feels a little magical, you know?” 

“Hmhm.” The brunette replied with a hum, smiling at the redhead. “We’re here, by the way.” 

The museum doomed up from the darkening sky, the lights from the lampposts illuminating the sky and giving it a magical glow. 

“Woa.” Chloe said, marvelling at the sight in front of her. Beca parked the car, chuckling as the redhead unbuckled her belt and was storming out of the car even before she had completely stopped. She pulled the handbrake and shut off the car, taking a deep breath. “Suddenly, I’m just on a date with Chloe fucking Beale. No big deal, right?” She muttered to herself. She jumped as she heard a tapping on her window, seeing Chloe’s excited face pop up. “No big deal.”

 

Chloe took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp evening air streaming into her lungs. She had her arm folded around Beca’s as the brunette paid for their tickets to visit the museum. “Have fun, girls!” The elder lady behind the counter said, giving them a wink. 

“Thanks!” Beca replied, taking the tickets and handing one to Chloe, who studied it with a furrowed brow. “What? Is something wrong?” The brunette asked upon seeing the redhead’s expression.

“No, it’s just… Museums are pretty expensive.” The taller girl said, frowning at the ticket price. “Don’t worry about it. Tonight’s my treat.” Beca winked, taking Chloe by the arm. 

The redhead blushed and nodded. “Thanks, Becs.” 

It felt weird to be out on the town together with Beca. Inside of the brunette’s apartment, Chloe felt safe and at home and was able to snuggle with her friend with no questions asked. But outside, she realised how exposed they were. Everyone could see them. She saw an old lady eye them curiously and Chloe reluctantly loosened her grip on Beca’s arm, letting her own arm slip out of it. Instead, she folded her arms behind her back, looking at the art in the museum semi-interested. Beca furrowed her brow at the loss of contact but shrugged, joining the redhead and pretending to know what she was looking at when she looked at the art pieces. 

 

After they had made their way through the museum and had seen everything, they arrived at the lampposts. Chloe let out an audible gasp as she looked up at the sky, which was filled with stars blinking brilliantly. It made the soft light of the lampposts feel extremely magical and the redhead hurried to walk up to them, stepping around one and looking at the rows and rows of long white posts. “This is crazy.” She said to Beca, who leaned against one of the lampposts smugly. 

“I mean, they’re just lampposts…” The brunette shrugged, not seeing what was special about them.  

“It’s so pretty though! Look!” Chloe said, grabbing Beca’s hand and making her look at the rows of shining lights. 

The brunette looked in front of her and had to admit it had something. However, the feeling of Chloe’s thin hand in hers was what made her heart flutter. Not the lampposts.

“Yeah… I guess it’s pretty cool.” She smiled at the redhead which repaid her with a huge grin.

They stood looking at the stars and the lampposts, their hands intertwined. 

After a while, Beca spoke up. “Hey, shall we take a picture?”

She looked at Chloe, who looked extremely pretty in the soft warm light. Her eyes were shining with excitement, her cheeks a little rosy and her red curls looked magical, flowing a bit in the wind. She honestly took Beca’s breath away. 

“Okay!” The redhead replied, not looking away from the stars. Her breath fogged up a bit in the evening air. 

Beca took out her phone and looked at Chloe. “Come here, nerd.” She said with a chuckle. She pulled the redhead’s arm until they were huddled extremely close together. The brunette raised her arm, holding up her phone. Both her and Chloe smiled into the camera, their faces illuminated by the soft light of the lampposts. A soft click could be heard as Beca pulled the button, snapping a picture of their smiles. After taking a few serious photos, Beca stuck out her tongue and Chloe pulled a crazy face, making both of them giggle. 

 

They were in the process of taking more photos, Chloe posing dramatically next to one of the lampposts, when a girl approached them, clearing her throat. Beca lowered her phone and smiled kindly at the girl. “Hello, how can I help you?” 

The blonde girl blushed furiously. “I… Are you Beca Mitchell?” She asked in a nervous voice.

“The one and only. You want a signature?” Beca smiled, putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Yes, please!” The girl took out a booklet. “What’s your name?” Beca asked, looking up at the blonde. “It’s T-Tess.”

“Nice to meet you, Tess.” Beca replied and signed the booklet with a big grin. 

Chloe stood back a little, surprised by the girl’s sudden appearance. She realised she was probably a fan of Beca and a smile tugged at her lips. Beca and the small blonde took a picture together and then the girl’s eyes fell on Chloe, who stood a bit to the side. 

“Hey… you’re Chloe, right?” Tess said, looking at the redhead with a smile.

“Huh?” Chloe said, crossing her arms. She was pretty sure the blonde just said her name, but it must have been a misunderstanding. 

“Yeah! Chloe Beale, from the Barden Bellas Beca was in!” The blonde girl pushed, getting a bit closer to Chloe. 

“You know who I am?” The redhead replied, her eyes widening. “Woa.” 

“Of course I know! You’re the reason Beca joined the Bellas! You’re amazing! I love you!” Tess said, grabbing Chloe’s hands. 

“Uhm… Thanks?” The taller girl replied, feeling a little agitated. 

Beca wrapped an arm around the redhead, squeezing her shoulder. “Thanks Tess. I hope you have a nice day!” She said with a smile, sensing Chloe’s awkwardness. 

“No, thank you!“ Tess said, waving to them as she sped off.

Chloe let out a breath, blushing. “As if that just happened. Why did she know who I am?” 

“Well… people are able to find out a lot about you. She probably learned about my history with the Bellas and that’s why she knows who you are.” Beca said with a grin. She thought it would be best to leave out the part about people shipping them. 

“That’s crazy… wow.” The redhead said with a shy grin. 

Beca looked at Chloe adoringly. Her face showed that she was still a little dazed and it looked extremely cute on her. She bumped her shoulder into the redhead playfully. “Maybe you’ll get just as famous as me.”

“I hope not!” The redhead exclaimed, chuckling.

“You’re ready to see the actual famous people?” The brunette replied. “Let’s go down the Walk of Fame.” 

Chloe replied with a huge grin and Beca pulled her along, grabbing her hand. 

 

Beca felt a tug at her hand as they were walking down the glittery pavement, checking out the stars on them. She looked behind her to see Chloe staring at one of the stars intently. When she rounded back around, she saw it was Walt Disney’s star. 

“Guess he’s here too, huh?” Beca said softly.

Chloe nodded and smiled at the star. “I’m glad he’s here.” 

They continued walking, pointing out the stars with names on them they recognized. 

Beca enjoyed the feeling of Chloe’s thin hand in hers and she squeezed it, making the redhead look up. 

“What’s up?” She asked with a smile.

“Just glad you’re here.” The brunette replied, sporting a similar smile. 

They finished the stroll over the stars and Chloe looked up at Beca again. “What do we do now?” She asked shyly. She was very aware of Beca’s hand clasping hers but unlike the old lady in the museum, no one here gave them a second look. It felt kind of nice. The evening air felt free and warm on her skin.

“Want to grab dinner somewhere?” The brunette asked, smiling at the redhead.

“Well…” Chloe hesitated, thinking about the amount of food she would probably get in a restaurant. 

Beca saw the redhead’s brow furrow and realisation dawned on her. “We can go home and order something, if that makes you more comfortable?” She said with a soft smile.

“No! I… I want to go to a restaurant.” The taller girl quickly exclaimed. She didn’t want Beca to feel disappointed and also really didn’t want this date to end just yet. 

“Oh, okay. Let’s go to Hollywood Burger, then. It’s right around the corner and they have great hamburgers!” Beca replied, still a bit cautious about Chloe’s real intentions. 

“Sounds great.” The redhead replied with a smile and she felt the small brunette pull her along into a alleyway. They arrived at the restaurant not soon after and heard a bell ding as they entered. Immediately, a waiter came up to them, greeting them with a huge smile. “Welcome to Hollywood Burger! How can I help you?” He said, bowing to them. 

“I’d like a table for two please.” Beca spoke up, smiling at him. “Okidoki! Follow me!” The tall waiter replied, a little too excited, which made the small brunette cringe and Chloe snicker. He brought them over to a table a bit excluded from the rest and Beca smiled. “Perfect. Thank you.” 

The waiter nodded his head and left to help someone else. 

“Well… he was excited about something.” Chloe mumbled a little awkwardly.

“You think?” Beca giggled and proceeded to stand behind the redhead, taking off her coat. 

“Oh… thanks.” The taller girl reacted with a blush. 

Beca took off her own coat and went to hang both of them on the hangers provided in the wardrobe. While Beca was gone, Chloe looked around the restaurant a little awkwardly. It had been a while since she had been to a restaurant and she sniffed the air as she smelled something amazing wafting from the kitchen. She sat down on one of the seats, shuffling forward so she could reach the table better. A candle was lit on their table and she stared into the flame, looking at it dance with the soft blasts of air every time she breathed on it. When Beca returned, she shuffled into the seat opposite of Chloe. “Why are you breathing so heavily into the candle?” The brunette asked, raising one eyebrow. 

The redhead let out a snort and her eyes snapped up a little awkwardly. “What?” 

“Nothing.” Beca said, a smirk playing at her lips. She took out the drinks menu, handing one of them to Chloe.

“What would you like to drink?” She asked the redhead while looking over the menu herself. 

“Just… some water, please.” Chloe replied, plopping the menu down on the table. 

“Okay.” The brunette smiled and when the waiter came to take their drink orders, she ordered some red wine for herself and a water for Chloe. After they got their drinks, the waiter presented them with the food menu, making a big gesture of handing them it. 

Beca saw Chloe raise her eyebrows at him and had to stop herself from laughing. The waiter left with another bow and as soon as he was out of earshot, Beca let out a chuckle. “This guy is amazing.”

Chloe nodded with a smile and looked at the food menu. The letters danced in front of her eyes. _ Ribs with a side of mashed potato and vegetables, a hamburger with fries and apple compote, Salmon with risotto.  _ She realised all of that would be too much for her and she looked at Beca a little nervously, who was eyeing her own menu with interest. 

“Woa, they have a double hamburger with fries. Nice.” The brunette mumbled and flicked her eyes up to see Chloe averting her gaze as soon as their eyes met. 

“You seeing anything you like?” She asked the nervous looking redhead.

“Hmmm… I don’t know… it all looks… like it’s a lot.” Chloe admitted shyly.

“You can ask them to make it a small portion. Okay? Don’t worry if you can’t eat it all. Eat whatever you want.” Beca said, her face softening.

“Yeah. Okay.“ The redhead smiled slightly, eyeing the menu again. “I’ll take the chicken filet with fries. Can you ask them if they have apple sauce?” 

 

After they had ordered, Beca leaned forward slightly. “Are you enjoying LA so far?” She asked softly, eyeing the redhead. 

“Yes! It’s great. I never knew it was such a nice city. And I loved the museum.” Chloe replied with a smile. 

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it here. I hope you’ll stay for a while.” The brunette answered, mirroring the redhead’s smile.

Chloe swallowed heavily. “Well… it’s not like I have anywhere to go. “ 

“That’s a deal, then.” Beca said with a wink. The past weeks she had slowly come to realise how much she had missed having the redhead around and it would break her heart to see her go. She also knew that Chloe definitely was not out of the danger zone yet and thought it was best if she had someone around to keep an eye on her. Beca would gladly provide that eye. The brunette was interrupted from her thoughts as their food arrived, the double burger in front of her making her mouth water. 

“Bon appetit!” She said, grabbing her fork and knife and attacking her food.

Chloe eyed the chicken filet in front of her and grabbed her knife, cutting off a small piece. She plopped it into her mouth and chewed it a little awkwardly. “Hmm.” She hummed happily as she felt her taste buds exploding. She plopped a few fries into her mouth, savoring them. 

“This is really nice!” The redhead said after a few bites. 

“I’m glad.” Beca replied. She felt proud of her friend for eating a normal meal in an actual restaurant, instead of the endless bowls of fruit and vegetables that had been her diet for the past weeks.

 

A while later, Beca patted her stomach, letting out a soft burp. She had finished her entire plate, sipping her wine happily. She looked at Chloe, who was cutting into her chicken, obviously struggling. 

“Chlo… if you’re full you should just stop. “ Beca said softly.

“I’m fine!” The redhead replied angrily, stuffing another piece of chicken into her mouth. Soon enough, she had finished her entire plate as well, but she was now looking positively green. 

“You okay?” Beca chuckled, looking at her friend a little worriedly.

“Yes.” Chloe replied, downing her glass of water. “I’m great.” 

“Okay. You want dessert?” The brunette teased.

She saw the taller girl’s eyes widen. “No!” She exclaimed, making Beca laugh.

“Fine. I’ll ask for the check.” She said with a wink, and soon enough, they were putting on their coats again and stepping into the cold evening air. 

Beca felt Chloe’s hand slip into her own and she smiled at the gesture. She eyed the redhead a little worriedly, checking if she really was okay, but she seemed fine, so Beca cleared her throat.

“I had fun tonight. It’s the first time in a while that I’ve been out in the town.”  She admitted, blushing a little.

“I had fun too. Thanks for taking me out. You were right, I needed some fresh air.” Chloe smiled. She felt her stomach gurgle, but ignored it. 

They arrived at Beca’s car and the brunette unlocked it with a smile. They both got in and soon they were on the road. Chloe stared outside at the stars, smiling up at them. “I didn’t expect the night sky to be so clear tonight. It’s really pretty.” She said, looking at Beca shyly. 

“I didn’t have you pegged as a stargazer.” The brunette replied, chuckling. 

“I just think the stars are so pretty and magical. There’s nothing like them.” Chloe said, marvelling at the sky. 

Beca felt her breath get caught in her throat and she clutched the steering wheel a little tighter.

They fell silent, the radio softly playing in the background.

After driving for a while, Chloe felt her hands grew sweaty and her stomach grumbled again. She tried to push the feeling down, but it got worse and worse until her stomach turned. “B-Becs…” Chloe choked out, her hands shaking and she felt her heart beating in her throat.

“Hm?” Beca said, not looking up from the road.

“You have to stop.” Chloe said, her voice urgent. She was unbuckling her seatbelt with shaking hands.

“What, why?” The brunette replied, looking at Chloe confusedly. The redhead looked extremely pale and her blue eyes widened as she yelped out. “Stop the car!” 

Beca slammed on the breaks, just in time for Chloe to open up the door as she threw up all over the sidewalk. She breathed out raggedly and felt Beca’s hand softly stroke her sweaty back. 

“Oh...Chloe, I’m sorry.” The brunette whispered softly, feeling her heart break as Chloe threw up a second time. 

The redhead gagged and she wiped her mouth, letting out a long breath as she leaned back in her seat. “Drive.” She whispered.

“But Chloe-” Beca started, but she was interrupted by the redhead giving her a stern look. 

“Drive!” 

 

When they arrived home, Beca silently unlocked the front door and followed Chloe, who stormed past her, inside. The redhead shook off her coat and kicked off her heels, swallowing heavily. “I’m going to bed.” She announced shortly and marched off towards the guest bedroom. 

Beca stood in the hallway, flabbergasted. She felt so extremely bad for Chloe but she had no idea what to do to make the redhead feel better. She took off her own coat and boots and sighed. After walking through the apartment and turning off all the lights, she filled a glass with water and knocked on Chloe’s door. 

“Chlo, please let me in.” She said softly.

There was no reply and Beca bit her lip worriedly. She hesitated, debating leaving Chloe alone. But she felt a tug at her heart thinking about the redhead in there, all alone. Before she knew it, she had opened the door. The room was engulfed in darkness and Beca let her eyes adjust to the lack of light. She could make out a small lump in the bed and felt her heart break even more when she could hear soft sobs coming from underneath the duvet. 

She shuffled forwards, putting the glass of water on the bedside table. 

“Chloe, please… It’s okay.” Beca said, sitting down on the bed.

“Go away!” Chloe’s muffled voice was heard from underneath the duvet.

“I’m not leaving you. Ever.” The brunette replied, lying down on the bed and cuddling up to the soft duvet Chloe was hiding under. 

Chloe wiped her eyes, breathing heavily. She could feel Beca’s weight on her and let out a sigh. “Fine. I’ll just wait here till there’s no oxygen left and I’ll choke.“ 

Beca chuckled and slipped the duvet down, revealing Chloe’s tearful face. 

“Hey there.” The brunette said softly, wiping a few stray tears from the other girl’s face. “I know that… what just happened really sucked but… I just want you to know that it’s okay. Your body wasn’t ready for a full meal. That’s totally okay. We’ll work on it. Take small steps. “ She whispered, laying her head down on the pillow next to Chloe’s. “I want you to know you never have to feel embarrassed about this. I’m here for you. I don’t care if you throw up every single day, I will hold your hair back and rub your back every time. Okay? So please don’t shut me out.” She continued.

Chloe sniffled softly. “I just feel so ashamed… I’m so disgusting.” She said, her voice breaking.

“No, you’re not. You’re ill and you have to heal. That takes a while. It might not be tomorrow, it might not be next week, but one day you’ll be able to eat normally and never think about these horrible things ever again. Okay? And I’m here for you. Forever.” Beca answered, taking Chloe’s cold hand in hers. 

“Okay… but… I ruined our date.” Chloe mumbled in reply.

“Nah. Did you have fun today?” The other girl asked, wiping the tears falling from her friend’s eyes.

Chloe bit her lip. “Yeah.” 

“Then it wasn’t ruined. “ Beca smiled, which made Chloe smile through her tears. The redhead wrapped her arms around Beca, snuggling into the smaller girl’s chest.

“Feeling better?” The brunette asked, while she stroked Chloe’s back. 

“Hmmm…” The taller girl replied tiredly, which made Beca grin. “If you are going to sleep, you have to put on your pajamas first.” 

“I don’t care about pajamas.” Chloe mumbled sleepily. 

“Well, I do. So. Do you want to sleep here or…” The brunette said, her voice trailing off. 

“No. I want to sleep with you.” The redhead replied without missing a beat.

Beca choked on her spit at the redhead’s words, but realised Chloe meant actual sleeping, nothing else. She coughed, cursing herself for freaking out so easily. 

“Okay. Then let’s move this to… to my bedroom.“ She said, mentally slapping herself for making that sound so suggestive as well. She heaved herself up and slipped out of the bed, hearing Chloe do the same. They made their way over to Beca’s bedroom and the brunette excused herself to the bathroom quickly as she saw Chloe undressing. The redhead slipped into her soft pajamas and joined Beca in the bathroom. Her eyes were still a little red from crying and the brunette looked at her with pity. She mentally decided to never let the redhead cry alone again and smiled kindly at Chloe as she looked at her. They both brushed their teeth and Beca removed her makeup. She had changed into her pajamas before Chloe came in, wearing a tank top and some loose shorts. When they both were done, they slipped into the bed. Beca immediately felt Chloe snuggled up to her, hiding her face in the brunette’s chest. “Hey, Chlo?” The smaller girl said, biting her lip. 

“Hm?” Chloe hummed.

“I hope you realise how happy I am that you’re here.“ Beca whispered softly. She wanted to say more, but her voice faltered. 

“I’m happy too. That I came here.” Chloe replied, sleep evident in her voice. 

“Goodnight, Chlo.” The brunette said softly, closing her eyes.

“Night.” 


	11. Dealing with it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever wondered what it feels like hanging out with Demi Lovato? Wonder no more.

“Chloe! You have been in there for nearly 40 minutes! It’s time to come out!” Beca called through the bathroom door. She huffed angrily as she heard the door unlock a few minutes later and Chloe appeared in the doorway, her hair dripping on the carpet. She had wrapped a white towel around herself and her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the shower. 

“What’s up?” The redhead asked innocently.

“You know what’s up, nerd.” Beca replied, her eyes roaming over Chloe’s bare legs shamelessly. “Put on some clothes!” 

“Kay. Meet you in the kitchen?” Chloe said with a soft smile. 

Beca nodded and made her way over there, shaking her head at the redhead’s antics.

 

When Chloe was all dressed up and eating her breakfast, consisting of some yogurt and fruits, Beca cleared her throat. “So… There’s something I want you to do today. And I want you to listen to me. I’ll help you with it, okay?” She said, looking at Chloe intently. The redhead looked up at her with big eyes and nodded. 

“We’re going to find you a therapist.” Beca said in a soft voice, eyeing Chloe with a serious face.

Chloe gulped and looked down at her bowl of yogurt. “A t-therapist? But…”

“No buts. I have been trying my best to help you but… It’s really hard Chlo. I don’t know if I can keep this up much longer.“ The brunette replied, feeling her heart hurt as she looked at the redhead.

“I know… I’m sorry.” The taller girl replied, sniffling sadly. 

“No, don’t be sorry! It’s just that… I think we should find the help of a professional on this. Especially because… I feel like I can’t be strict with you. And I don’t want to be!” Beca explained.

Chloe nodded, understanding where the brunette came from. “I guess you’re right. But a therapist… that sounds scary.” She said, imaging a doctor asking her all kind of difficult questions while she was laid down on a couch. She shuddered at the thought. 

Beca smiled understandingly. “It’s okay. My friend gave me some great names I think we could check out.” 

The redhead’s eyes narrowed. “You keep bringing up this friend. Who are they?” She said, suspicion evident in her voice.

“Uhm…” Beca blushed. “Her name’s Demi. “

Chloe raised her eyebrows comically. “Demi? And where do you know this ‘Demi’ from?”

The brunette sighed. “From… work. It’s Demi Lovato, okay?” She looked at her friend shyly, whose eyes widened.

“THE Demi Lovato?” The redhead replied, her voice two octaves higher than normal. 

Beca chuckled. “Please don’t freak out.” 

“You’re friend with Taylor Swift AND Demi Lovato? What the fuck.” Chloe said, looking at Beca with wide eyes. 

“Yes. Swearing you is still weird. So… how do you feel about seeing a therapist?” The brunette replied, getting closer to the redhead.

“I mean, it… it sounds kind of scary. But I think it might help me. I hope it will.” The taller girl answered, trying to smile. 

Beca bumped her shoulder into Chloe’s playfully. “I bet it will.”

 

After Chloe had finished her breakfast, which took her a while, Beca had motioned for her to sit next to the brunette, who was turning on her laptop. Their shoulders almost touched as Beca got out a note from her pocket, straightening it out on the kitchen table. “So, Demi gave me her therapist’s name. Do you want to check it out?” The brunette asked, eyeing Chloe curiously. 

“Okay. Sounds good.” Chloe replied and she looked at Beca’s fingers as she typed the name into Google. Her eyes narrowed at the screen. “Nina Martens?” 

“Yep.” Beca replied, clicking the first result which took them straight to the therapist’s website. 

A picture of a woman meditating loaded up, which made both Beca and Chloe raise their eyebrows. 

“Feeling stuck, depressed or alone?” Beca read aloud, her voice a little strained. “This seems a little weird…” 

Chloe shrugged. “Well, she’s right. I feel all of those things.” She said softly, which made Beca look at her in surprise. 

“Okay. Do you want to send her an email?” The brunette said, clicking on the email address and copying it. 

The redhead furrowed her brow but nodded. “Sure.” 

Beca prepared the email for Chloe and handed her the computer. 

“How do I start out an email like this? Like…  _ Hello, over the past weeks I’ve nearly died and I’d like some help? _ ” The redhead said with a grin.

The brunette let out a soft chuckle. “Well… just be honest.” 

Chloe nodded and started typing.

 

“... I've been feeling empty, not really wanting to die but also not feeling like living. I have a lot of struggles with eating properly because during the time I spent alone, I starved myself. This gives me a lot of anxiety and makes me feel really ashamed. I hope you can give me some advice on what to do… and maybe I could go into therapy.” Chloe read aloud, her voice cracking. 

Beca stared at her friend. “That’s good, Chlo. Well… I mean not good but… you worded it well.” 

“Let’s just send it.” The redhead replied, sighing. Typing out what she was feeling was hard, especially with Beca breathing down her neck like that. 

“Okay. I’ll ask her to email or call us, okay?” Beca said, taking the laptop from Chloe and finishing up her email. Her finger hovered above the send button. “You sure?”

Chloe pressed the button for her, crossing her arms. 

“I’m proud of you, Chlo.” Beca said, smiling. She wrapped her arm around the redhead’s shoulder, squeezing it softly, which made Chloe smile a little.

Beca sensed how tens the redhead was, and it saddened her. “You want to play a game now?” 

“A game?” Chloe asked, her brow furrowing. 

Beca grinned. “Yeah! I’ve got a Playstation 5 and we can play some games on it!”

“I’m… I’m not very good at games like that. Video games, I mean.” Chloe admitted shyly. She looked at Beca, who was smiling at her. “Well, you can practise!” The brunette replied, pulling her along to the couch.

 

A while later, after Beca had finished explaining the controls to Chloe, they were playing Call of Duty. Chloe was biting her lip in concentration, moving her whole body along with her controller, which made Beca giggle. “It’s not motion controlled, you know.” 

“Huh?” Chloe said, not looking away from the screen. 

“Nevermind.” The brunette replied, laughing. 

She heard a yelp from the redhead as she was shot by one of their enemies. “Where do they keep coming from? They’re everywhere!” She pouted.

“Well, some people tend to camp and snipe others from hiding spots. You have to look out for them.” Beca explained. “Those kind of people don’t have any balls though.”

“Oh, I see.” Chloe nodded, trying to understand. “So if I started hiding I could win?”

“No!” The brunette giggled. “Well, maybe, but no one likes campers. You don’t want to be hated by others, right?”

“No, but… I also don’t want to lose.” The other girl admitted softly.

“Well, you have to practice for that. The more you play, the easier it gets.” Beca shrugged.

“Can I use the console while you work?” Chloe asked shyly. “Then I can practise.” 

“Yeah, sure. As long as you don’t break anything out of rage.” The brunette smiled. “Don’t ask, but that table in front of us is a replacement.”

“Okay, now you have to talk. What did you do?” The redhead asked curiously.

“Well, I play with Demi a lot. We have this game going on that the first to win 7 games in a row has to decide what the loser has to do.” Beca explained. “And one day I was so close to winning my seventh game in a row. But then she won and I got so angry I smashed my table. I made her worry so much that she came over to check on me.” She giggled. “It’s all good now though. I’m leading again with three won games in a row.”

“I see. I didn’t know you had so much strength in you.” Chloe said, her eyes wide.

“Oh, so you already forgot where I carried you to the bed?” The smaller girl asked with a suggestive undertone.

“I… never really questioned that.” The redhead said a little awkwardly.

“Wow. So you think I just took out my wand and made you fly there?” Beca giggled.

“Shut up!” Chloe was blushing now as she slapped her friend on the arm.

The other girl laughed and they went back to playing, the redhead getting a little better at it.

 

They played games throughout the morning until Beca shut down the Playstation, resulting in a pout from the redhead. “Gotta work, babes.” The brunette said, poking her cheek. 

“I feel bad that you work and pay the rent and stuff...and I do nothing all day. I should at least pay you a bit of the rent for staying here. “ Chloe answered. This had been on her mind a lot lately and she was glad it finally came up in a conversation. 

The brunette furrowed her brow. “Well…I mean, financially I’m okay. But if you want to help out with the rent, I can’t stop you. “ She smiled.

“The only problem is...is that my bank account in completely empty.” The redhead replied, looking down sadly, which made Beca frown. 

“Did you not have any savings?” She asked, sitting down on the couch again.

Chloe bit her lip. “Well...I did have savings. But I paid for Chicago’s engagement ring and then I paid for the flight to LA…So yeah…” 

“Right….” The brunette answered, patting the redhead’s knee. An idea popped up in her head and she smiled. “How about you look for a job here? I mean, it’s not like you have much else to do. I think it might be good for you to have a routine. Doing nothing all day is probably not that great for your mental health….” 

Chloe looked at Beca, a little surprised. “That could be fun. I do miss working with the animals. But don’t you think it’s too soon?” 

“Well, if you apply now it might still be a few weeks until you actually find something. But if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to. You can do whatever you like.” The brunette smiled supportively.

“Well, we can always browse a bit.” Chloe shrugged. 

Beca beamed at her friend. “You can use my laptop to look for jobs while I work, okay?” 

The redhead replied with a smile and nodded.

  
  


A few hours later, Chloe was sitting at the kitchen table, furiously scrolling through job applications. Papers were scattered all around her and she let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t want to work at a bank! I want to work with animals!” She groaned, dropping her head in her hands. 

She heard a door open and saw Beca appear, carrying various mugs in her arms.

“How much coffee did you drink today?” Chloe asked, eyeing the mugs.

“T-Those are from the whole week.” Beca lied, quickly plopping the cups in the sink.

“Right…” The redhead replied, not entirely convinced. “You should probably take this laptop away from me, before I smash it to bits.” 

The brunette’s face softened. “Job search not going well, babes?” 

Chloe shook her head angrily. “Apparently, there are a lot of banks that need employees. But not many veterinary clinics.”

Beca made her way over to the frustrated redhead. She noticed her nails were digging into her knees and she grabbed Chloe’s hands, making her look at her. 

“Hey, calm down. Listen. Like I said, you don’t need to find a job today. It takes time.“

“I know...it’s just...I feel so anxious. Like...Like I need to be prepared for something but I have no idea what it is. I think it’s because I went from working full time to doing nothing all day. My body doesn’t know what to do with all this stress.” Chloe said, looking down at her hands.

Beca smiled sadly. “I know what that’s like. When I work on an album full time, I get so weird after it’s done. It’s like your body is used to working under so much stress and it doesn’t know what to do with itself.” 

“What do you do to stop it?” The redhead asked, looking up into the other girl’s eyes. 

“I don’t know. Try to chill out. Drink. Smoke.” Beca shrugged.

“Smoke? Like cigarettes?” 

“Well, yeah. But.. Don’t start it.” The brunette said. “They taste disgusting, and I really only smoke when I’m super stressed. And...sometimes Demi brings over weed. That helps.” 

“Weed? Like marijuana?” Chloe asked.

“Yeah. It helps you calm down.” Beca exhaled. “But I really only do it occasionally. And while yes, it does make you feel better, it doesn’t make your problems go away. They’re still there at the end of the day.”

“Oh, I see. But…” The redhead rubbed her neck. “It would be nice to… Forget about everything for a little while. Just.. Feel good, not sad or stressed or anxious. And from what I’ve heard, you basically just end up giggling uncontrollably or do weird things.”

“It does feel nice to escape.” Beca smiled.

Chloe looked at her with big eyes. “Could we try it?” 

“Are you sure?” The smaller girl asked carefully, looking at her friend worriedly. “I mean, I would call Demi in a heartbeat but...”

“Call her.” Chloe interrupted. “Please?”

“Okay.” Beca nodded as she studied the other girl’s face. “I’ll call her.” She got out her phone and dialed Demi’s number.

“Heeeeeeey!” The blue haired girl answered. “What’s up?”

“Nothing much.” The brunette stalled. “How are you?”

“I’m good! How are you? How’s Chloe? Gaining weight a little?” Demi asked.

“Yeah we’re good. She’s doing okay. Look, I wanted to ask if you wanted to come over? And bring some pot luck?” Beca asked sweetly.

“Oh. Roger that. I’ll be over in like three hours okay?” The girl on the other line smiled.

“Alright, thanks Demi. You’re the best.” The brunette grinned. “See you!” She hung up, and Chloe looked at her intently. “She’s coming over with some pot brownies.” Beca explained.

“Cool! I can’t wait.” The redhead smiled.

 

True to her word, Demi came three hours later, a tupperware box in hand. “Hey girl! Good to finally see you again.” She greeted Beca with a hug.

“Good to see you too. You haven’t aged a bit.” The brunette replied with a laugh.

“You must be Chloe.” The blue haired girl smiled as she looked behind Beca where the girl in question was hiding.

“Y-yeah. Hi.” Chloe smiled awkwardly. Demi stepped into the corridor and stuck her hand out so the redhead could shake it. The other girl took it shyly, shaking it. “I just shook hands with Demi Lovato…” She whispered.

“Please don’t be so starstruck again, Chlo.” Beca giggled. “Let’s go into the living room, shall we?”

The three girls made their way there and plopped down onto the couch. “So Beca. Want to continue our little game?” Demi asked with a smirk.

“Why not? I got Chloe on my side, she’s gonna give me luck so I will win for the fourth time today.” The small girl said confidently.

“Don’t get so full of yourself.” The blue haired girl rolled her eyes. “COD?”

“Yeah.” Beca nodded as she started up the PS5. “You can watch real pros play now. Watch our combos, maybe you can adapt something to your own advantage.” She winked at Chloe, who stared at them perplexed.

“Okay…” The redhead spoke softly.

Demi and Beca started a round and soon were the ones ranking highly. “Goddamnit, I swear if you steal my kill…” The brunette said through gritted teeth. She had her hands tightly around the controller, her tongue poking out in concentration, her brows furrowed. Chloe didn’t look at Beca’s hands for long. Instead, she was taking in how she looked when she was fully in game. It was adorable and cute, and kind of hot. The redhead felt her heart flutter at the sight.

“Huh? What did you say? I couldn’t hear you over me stealing your kill.” The blue haired girl giggled.

“Bitch.” Beca cursed as she shoved the girl next to her.

They played a couple of rounds, each scoring high, sometimes Beca scoring higher than Demi or vice versa. When the last round began, both girls leaned forward in sync, seeing that this was it. This round would determine whether Beca would win the fourth game in a row, or if Demi would reset the score, winning her first game.

“I’m so gonna end you.” The brunette said determined as her character started running through the map.

“We’ll see about that.” The blue haired girl smirked.

“Chloe, hold my shoulder for good luck.” Beca spoke, her eyes not leaving the screen. The redhead giggled softly as she put her hand on the brunette’s shoulder, squeezing it supportively.

 

Beca and Demi were the only ones standing. The timer started to run out and they knew they had to finish each other, otherwise they would have to play again. “Any last words?” The brunette asked as she sneaked up on the blue haired girl.

“Yeah. Eat shit.” Demi smirked as she set off a mine that was close to Beca, successfully killing her. 

The brunette stared at her death screen in disbelief. “You did not just… win….” She whispered.

“I did. Sorry.” The other girl smiled sheepishly.

Beca carefully slammed her controller onto the table, standing up. “I’m ordering us food.” She said angrily before she left the room.

“Aka, she’s going to calm down first, then order food.” Demi chuckled. “So Chloe. Beca has said a lot about you.”

“Has she?” The redhead asked shyly, nervously playing with the hem of her shirt. 

“Yeah. You work as a vet right?” The blue haired girl asked as she prepped her arm up onto the couch, facing the other girl.

“Well, not right now, no. But I would love to once I can.” Chloe smiled softly.

“Mhmmm… Well, I mean, one of my friends owns a clinic. She’s looking for a co-owner right now. The name’s Heart for Animals.” Demi smiled.

“Co-owner?” The redhead gulped. “That’s kind of a huge position for me. I don’t know if I am fit for that.”

“Well, you would still be working as a normal vet. Just with an addition. You would represent the clinic, organize charity events, help with the adoption of animals, all that kind of stuff.” The blue haired girl explained.

“It sounds like a lot…” Chloe whispered.

“Here. I’ll give her your number. Her name’s Sam, and tell her you got the number through me. She’ll tell you what she needs.” Demi smiled softly as she grabbed a piece of paper, scribbling down a number. “Only if you want to take it, of course.” 

“I’ll think about it. Thanks Demi.” The redhead smiled weakly and put the piece of paper into her pocket.

 

When Beca came back, she already had the food she ordered in her hands. “Took you a bit longer to calm down than usual.” Demi commented.

“Shut up, I hate you.” The brunette scowled as she handed the blue haired girl her box. “Careful, I poisoned it.”

“Thanks for warning me.” The other girl giggled as she dug into her food.

“Here you go. A fruit salad and a veggie soup. Though it seems a tad bit much.” Beca said as she handed Chloe her box.

“Don’t worry, I can handle it.” The redhead smiled softly, but she looked at the amount of food a little wide-eyed.

“Okay, but stop when you can’t, alright? There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” The brunette whispered.

They made small talk, not noticing how Chloe started to struggle with her food halfway through, but still continued to eat. She eyed Demi and Beca nervously, feeling too ashamed to stop.

In the end, the redhead managed to eat almost all of her meal and Beca looked impressed, though a little suspicious. She didn’t think anything of it as the girl didn’t seem green and pale, like she did after the restaurant. Demi let out a soft burp, patting her full stomach. 

“Jeez Becs, why do you always order so much food when you’re angry. I feel like I’m pregnant.” She eyed the brunette, who was in a similar state. 

“That’s all your fault. I should have won.” Beca mumbled.

Demi smirked. “Well, wanna play again? Maybe you’ll win this time.” 

“Fine.” The brunette replied, getting their controllers. She eyed Chloe worriedly for a second, but the redhead gave her a smile as she curled up a bit on the couch. “You wanna play?” Beca asked the taller girl with a smile, handing her the controller.

“Nah. I’ll watch.” Chloe replied, leaning her head on her hand with a smile. 

“‘Kay.” Beca smirked as she plopped back down on the couch, successfully sandwiching Demi between her and Chloe. 

“Ow...Becs, move over!” The blue haired girl immediately complained. Chloe blushed a little awkwardly as she shrank even farther into the corner of the couch, taking up as little space as possible. Beca laughed and moved to the side a little, giving the two girls more room. She turned on the game and clenched her jaw. “1 vs. 1. I’m going to fuck you up.” 

 

Beca and Demi were in a heated battle, blasting each other with guns, mines and whatever they could find. Chloe was watching intently, trying to pick up as much as she could from their skills. When she leaned forward, she felt her stomach protest, gurgling loudly. She looked at the two girls with a blush but luckily concluded that neither of them heard her. She wrapped her arms around her belly, trying to take deep breaths and calm down, but just like the day before, it only got worse and worse. 

After a while, She shakily cleared her throat. “I’m...I’m going to the bathroom real quick.” She squeaked, quickly shuffling off the couch and trying to appear as relaxed as possible as she hurried off to the bathroom. 

Beca and Demi shot each other knowing looks, pausing the game. 

“I hope she’s okay.” The blue haired girl whispered and Beca nodded, her eyes worried.

She opened her mouth to say something but before she could, they could hear the unmistakable sound of Chloe throwing up. 

“Oh… no.” Beca said softly, mentally hitting herself for not paying attention and getting lost in her stupid game with Demi. She got up from the couch and made her way over to the bathroom, which was locked. Her knuckled softly rapped against the door, as she leaned against it. “Chlo… It’s me. I hope you’re okay… Can I come in?” She asked softly.

She heard a soft sniffle from beside the door. “I’ll be out in a second.” Chloe’s shaky voice said.

The brunette sighed heavily and pushed herself away from the door. “Okay.” 

She made her way over to the living room, where Demi was waiting for her, sporting a worried look. 

“And?” The blue haired girl asked as soon as Beca reappeared. “She sounded upset.” 

Just then, they could heard the toilet flushing and the door unlocked, revealing a tearful Chloe. 

Beca immediately got up to wrap her arms around the redhead, but the taller girl shook her off. She shuffled over to the couch and wrapped her arms around her knees, looking away. Beca felt her heart break and sat back down next to Demi, at loss for what to say. They all sat in silence for a while and Beca was about to speak up, but was interrupted. “Hey… Chloe.“ She heard Demi’s voice beside her, sounding very soft and warm. “You know, when I was recovering, I threw up every single day for 2 weeks. It sucks. But it happens.“ The blue haired girl shuffled closer to the redhead. “You don’t have to be ashamed.“

Two tearfilled blue eyes looked up at Demi. “2 weeks?” Chloe whispered softly. “That’s a long time.”

The blue haired girl chuckled. “Yeah. Had a lot of shit in my body, so it had to happen. But did you see how much I ate tonight? You can do that again too. Someday. I promise you.” Demi slowly wrapped her arm around Chloe, squeezing her shoulder. 

“Really?” The redhead said softly, wiping her nose on her sleeve. 

Demi cracked a smile. “Really.” 

“Thanks, Demi.” Chloe replied, shooting her a watery smile. 

“You’re so welcome.” The blue haired girl said with a wink. “You want a hug?” 

The redhead nodded. “Yeah.” 

Demi wrapped Chloe up in a hug, the redhead leaning her head on the other girl’s shoulder.

“Hey… no fair.” Beca said, as she had been watching the exchange with a soft smile at her lips. “I want in!” The brunette made her way over to the two other girls, wrapping her arms around both of them in an awkward group hug. 


	12. High

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are the dangers of being high? Well... Find out. [We don't know shit about being high, just researched a lot and tried our best. Lmao] And what's that with pillow forts? What's so special about them? Ask Bechloe. They're gonna tell you. ;)

After Chloe had calmed down a bit and Beca and Demi had played some more games, the brunette cleared her throat. “So...Chlo...you still wanna try the brownies?” She eyed the redhead a little worriedly.

“Yeah! Totally!” Chloe replied, an excited grin plastered on her face. 

“Have you ever had edibles before, Chloe?” Demi asked the redhead while Beca shut down the Playstation.

The redhead shook her head, smiling shyly. “This is my first time.” 

“Oh, you’re gonna love it! It’s so relaxing.” The blue haired girl smiled at the taller girl. 

Chloe nodded and chuckled. “That’s what I’m aiming for… obviously.” 

“Alright nerds, let’s go to the kitchen and...blaze it!” Beca announced dorkily.

“You can’t blaze pot brownies, _ nerd _ .” Demi said, laughing. 

“Whatever…” Beca replied with a pout, which made Chloe snicker.

They made their way over to the kitchen, all sitting around the kitchen table, looking at the tupperware box in the middle of it intently.

“So… we just… eat them, just like that?” Chloe said, opening the box nervously.

Demi grinned at the nervous looking redhead. “Yea. It takes a while to kick in. You’ll feel it though.” 

Beca grabbed the box from Chloe and took one of the brownies out of it. “Well...they’re not going to eat themselves. Bon appetit!” 

Both Chloe and Demi took a brownie as well and they ate them in silence. “Tastes weird.... Kind of bitter.” The redhead commented, swallowing heavily.

“Yeah. That’s the weed. I’ve been trying to get rid of the weed taste but...guess I’m not that good at it, still.” Demi said, laughing.

They all sat around the table in silence, waiting. After ten minutes, Chloe felt her stomach gurgle once more. “I hope I don’t throw up again.” She commented.

Demi looked at her and her eyes widened. “Oh shit. You ate those brownies on an empty stomach.” 

The redhead looked at her with big eyes. “Is that a bad thing?” 

“Uhm… not necessarily. But… it’s advised to eat something beforehand, I think.”

Demi got out her phone and googled it. “Why you shouldn’t take cannabis edibles on an empty stomach.” She read aloud. “We strongly advise you to eat something before taking the edibles. Without doing so, you would risk ill effects such as anxiety and paranoia... Shit. “

Both Beca and Demi looked at Chloe, who paled. “P-Paranoia?” 

The brunette grabbed the redhead’s hand from across the table. “I’m sure it’s fine! We’ll be here with you.” 

“Yeah. Okay.” Chloe nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

 

An hour later, the weed has kicked in for all of them. They were currently laughing about a story Demi told about her childhood. “No, I’m serious guys, he really believed me and went around and told everyone you can eat lava!” The blue haired girl giggled. “I’m really glad there weren’t any volcanoes near us, because he surely would’ve tried to eat the lava.”

“This reminds me of the game “The floor is lava”.” Beca chuckled. “Which reminds me. The floor is lava!”

The other two girls squealed as they tried to climb onto the couch. Chloe lost footing and slid back down, dramatically stretching out her hand to the brunette who was laughing furiously. “Help me Becs! I’m dying! I’m frying!”

Beca tried to pull her friend up onto the couch but was cackling so hard she couldn’t muster the strength. Instead, she fell down onto Chloe who groaned. “Ow!” The redhead protested.

“Sorry!” The brunette giggled.

“We should play Truth or Dare!” Demi suggested once their laughter quieted down.

“Cool. Chloe, truth or dare?” Beca immediately asked.

“Dare!” Chloe replied without hesitation.

The brunette and the blue haired girl looked at each other. “What do we dare you to do?” The smaller girl asked.

“How about you flash us your tits?” Demi thought aloud.

“Okay!” The redhead smiled and lifted up her shirt before Beca could protest in any way. She showed the two girls her boobs quickly, doing a little dance, before dropping the shirt back down, smiling widely.

“Damn! They’re not bad!” The blue haired girl commented with a smirk while the brunette sunk into the couch, blushing furiously. “Chloe, you have to ask one of us now.”

“Okay. Demi, truth or dare?” Chloe asked, plopping down next to Beca who was still trying to regain her composure.

“Hmmm….” Demi hummed, biting her lip in thought. “I’ll go with truth.”

“Alright, how many girls have you kissed and ended up taking home?” The redhead questioned.

“Wait I gotta count.” The girl in question lifted her hands, trying to think really hard. “How do you count again?” She whispered. “Ah no, nevermind, I remember.” She quietly started counting, extending a finger one by one. “Seven.” She concluded.

“Those girls must’ve been lucky.” Chloe smirked. “Fans?”

“I think three of them were.” Demi tried to recall the memories. “Yeah, three.”

“Sleeping with fans. Wow.” Beca muttered.

“Beca, now you gotta go. Truth or dare?” The blue haired girl asked, a mischievous grin playing her features.

“I’m going with dare. Fuck truth.” The brunette shrugged.

“Okay. Send Chloe the dirtiest text you can think of. And Chloe has to read it out loud.” Demi smirked.

Beca’s eyes went wide. “What? No, I… I can’t do that!” She blushed.

“Come on Becs, don’t be a party pooper!” Chloe pouted. She leaned forward, fishing the brunette’s phone out of her pocket. “Go, type.” She smiled.

“Alright. I’m gonna be regretting this.” The smaller girl muttered. She quickly punched something into her phone before sending it. “Please kill me now.”

The redhead got out her phone eagerly. “I want to take you on every piece of furniture in this house. Bed, couch, counter, chair, sink, dresser, you name it. I’ll make sure you’re being taken care of.” She read aloud. “Jesus…” She commented, biting her lip.

“Damn girl! You got game.” Demi laughed as she patted Beca on the shoulder, who was blushing furiously, trying to block out the images of Chloe flashing through her mind. 

“Shut up.” The brunette muttered weakly. “So Demi. Truth or dare?” She asked after she cleared her throat.

“Dare.” The blue haired girl smirked.

“I’m gonna get revenge. You have to tweet something really sexual but mask it as innocent as possible.” Beca challenged the girl.

“Is that all?” Demi asked as she got out her phone. “Weak.” She opened Twitter and started typing.  _ “I would really want some cherry chapstick. Anyone know someone who could hit me up?” _ She sent it before locking her phone again. “Done.” She shrugged. The brunette just huffed and crossed her arms. “Chloe, truth or dare?”

“Dare!” The redhead smiled excitedly.

“Okay. Pick one of us and give them a lap dance!” The blue haired girl smirked.

“Oh come on! Stop making everything so sexual!” Beca protested.

“What? Can’t you handle a little fun?” Demi asked.

“No, it’s just… Nevermind.” The brunette huffed as she crossed her arms. “I don’t wanna play anymore.”

“Party pooper.” Chloe said as she draped herself over Beca’s lap. “Are you sure you don’t want me to do anything?” She wrapped her arms around the brunette’s neck, looking at her intently.

“Y-yes.” The smaller girl croaked out. “Can we do something else instead?” She asked softly.

“Alright. I feel like doing something crazy.” Demi said as she smacked her hands on her thighs.

“Oh god. I’m never taking weed with you ever again.” Beca groaned.

“Sssshhhhhhhhhhh…” The blue haired girl put her finger onto the brunette’s lips. “Chloe, have you ever been skinny dipping?” 

The girl’s eyes had been a little drowsy, staring blankly at the smaller girl’s face, but she snapped out of it. “I think. In college. Why?”

“You in for skinny dipping at my place?” The other girl smirked.

“Oh, this is just great.” Beca muttered.

“Yes! Becs, can we go skinny dipping?” Chloe asked with puppy eyes.

“Alright. Why the fuck not?” The brunette sighed as the girl on top of her hugged her with an excited squeal.

“Then we better get going!” Demi grinned and got up.

 

They hailed a cab and drove to Demi’s house. Chloe’s eyes went wide when she saw it. “Woah. It’s huge! And you got a pool? Damn.”

The blue haired girl chuckled as they made their way to the house. “Yeah I guess. Being a famous singer pays off.”

“Becs are we gonna get a house this huge too?” The redhead asked, looking at her friend with big eyes.

“No.” Beca replied, shaking her head. “I’m perfectly content in my apartment.”

“Oh.” Chloe pouted.

Demi led them to the pool. “Last one in the water is a loser!” She exclaimed as she got rid of her shirt.

The girls struggled to take off their clothes, eventually managing it and stumbling towards the water. They laughed as they fell into the water, Beca being last to dive into the cold surface. “Jeez, why’s your water so cold?” The brunette asked, shivering slightly.

“What are you talking about? Perfectly fine.” Demi shrugged. 

“Becs, a tsunami is coming!” Chloe exclaimed and when the girl in question turned her head towards her, she splashed a huge amount of water towards her.

“Hey! Not fair!” Beca gasped. “You’re getting that back!” She started punching the water furiously, trying to splash the redhead who swam away giggling.

The blue haired girl decided to turn on the brunette, splashing her. “Take that Beca!”

“Why do you hate me?!” Beca pouted as she turned her attention towards Demi, attacking her now.

“We don’t hate you!” Chloe yelled from the other side of the pool. “You’re just our victim.” 

The brunette turned around and swam the crawl towards Chloe. She reached her in no time and ducked her underwater. “Bitch.” She laughed as the redhead came back up,wiping her eyes.

“Unfair!” The other girl pouted.

“Love youuuu!” Beca giggled. She felt a hand around her ankle and before she could process anything she was being yanked underwater. She came back up spluttering. “Why does everybody pull me down into the water by my ankle?”

“Sorry.” Demi smiled sheepishly. She rested her arms on the side of the pool. “This feels nice. We should do it more often.”

“You just want to see us naked you creep.” The brunette commented as she splashed a little water towards her friend.

“Not true!” The blue haired girl protested. “Man, I’m getting the munchies. I’ll be back.” She heaved herself out of the water and disappeared into the house.

“She’s not gonna come back so soon.” Beca giggled as she pressed her back against the side of the pool, resting her forearms on the edge of the pool.

“Why?” The redhead next to her asked.

“Weed can make you really hungry. Like, really. You could eat a horse, maybe two and you still want more.” The brunette explained. 

“Shouldn’t we go after her then? Make sure she’s okay?” Chloe asked, concerned.

Beca shook her head. “She’s got food prepared for that. Low cal. So she won’t gain too much weight.” She smiled. “So, how is your experience going?”

“It feels a little weird. My body’s tingling a little. And sometimes I feel things that aren’t really there I guess?” The redhead said. “And it just feels weird. But it’s a good kind of weird.”

“Mhmmmm.” The brunette hummed. “How about skewed perception of time? Spacing out? Any hallucinations?”

“Hm. If you asked me how long we’ve been here I would say an hour, but maybe it’s less. I honestly really don’t know.” Chloe giggled. “I don’t have any hallucinations and…” She furrowed her brows. “What else did you ask me? I think there was a third thing.”

“If you space out.” Beca chuckled. “I guess you kind of do huh?”

“I so do not.” The redhead huffed as she moved in front of the smaller girl, wrapping her arms around her neck. “Only in your imagination.”

“Is that so?” The brunette asked, putting her hands on the other girl’s waist.

“Yeah.” Chloe said softly, her eyes trained on the smaller girl’s lips.

Beca’s breath hitched as she bit her lip, her eyes falling down onto the redhead’s lips as well. “I don’t.. Think we should..” She spoke softly.

“But…” The other girl whispered as she leaned closer.

“Hey love birds. Get out of the water.” Demi interrupted them. 

Chloe looked up at her, pouting. “But mooooooooom.”

Beca giggled. “Alright. Come on.” She wriggled free from the redhead’s embrace before getting out of the water. Chloe bit her lip as she stared at Beca’s naked body from behind shamelessly. Beca took a bathrobe that Demi handed to her before she helped Chloe out of the water. The redhead also put on her bathrobe.

“You guys thirsty?” The blue haired girl asked. Both girls nodded. “Alright, I’ll be back with drinks.”

 

They got comfortable on the lounging chairs by the pool, each having a drink in hand. Demi excused herself to take a call she got, leaving the girls alone again.

“Demi is leaving us alone an awful lot of times…” Beca commented, squinting her eyes in suspicion.

“Hmmm.” Chloe simply hummed. She felt really sleepy and her eyes were half closed. Just as she was about to close them, she spied a black figure out of the corner of her eye. She widened her eyes, the figure disappearing. Glancing around suspiciously, she tried to figure out where the figure went. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. She was probably just being paranoid. However, when she opened her eyes again, she opened them wide. The sky had darkened and demon like figures were flying around everywhere. She looked around panicked, wondering where they had come from so suddenly. There was a tiger with three heads emerging from the pool, making intense eye contact with her. The redhead froze, staring at the creature which stared right back at her. She shuffled back in her chair. That set the creature off. With a huge roar, it lunged at her. She screamed, leaning back so far that she fell out of the chair.

Beca jumped up as soon as she heard her friend cry out. She rushed to Chloe’s side, grabbing her by her shoulders to get her attention. “Chloe! Hey! I’m here! What’s going on?” 

The redhead just stared past her, panic evident on her face. The tiger had jumped over her, leaving her be. But now there was a weird twitching creature standing next to one of the umbrellas. It had the body of a man and the head of a bull and it smirked evilly at her. It held out a picture, showing her and the Bellas at their graduation. Suddenly, they were all standing there, looking scared. The creature somehow had a sword which it swung at the Bellas, swiftly decapitating most of the girls. “No!” She cried out as the bull pointed the sword at her. “Don’t hurt me!” 

The brunette tried her best to get Chloe’s attention, after she immediately realised Chloe was bad tripping. “Chloe please listen to me! It’s not real! You’re safe, there’s no one there! Nobody wants to hurt you!” She called out desperately, shaking her friend now.

The redhead finally noticed the other girl. The only problem was that her face was melting off. “Beca!” She cried out. “Your face! It’s melting!” She grabbed it, desperately trying to hold it together.

“My face isn’t melting, you’re hallucinating.” Beca tried to explain calmly.

“Oh god.” Chloe’s breathing became ragged.

The brunette started to panic. “Close your eyes. Can you do that for me? Close your eyes?” She asked, trying to sound as collected as possible.

“I’m scared.” The redhead whimpered. “They’re everywhere.” 

Beca grabbed Chloe’s head and pressed the redhead’s ear against her chest. “Listen to my heartbeat.” She said. “Close your eyes and listen to it. Can you hear how calm it is? How it’s beating regularly?”

The other girl nodded slightly as she squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her ear more against the brunette’s chest.

“I’m here and I’m not going anywhere okay? I got you.” Beca whispered as she wrapped her arms around her friend protectively.

“They’re so scary.” Chloe sniffled softly, balling a bit of fabric of the brunette’s bathrobe in her hand. Tears were leaking out of her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. 

“I know sweetie. I’m here.” The smaller girl said softly, rocking them.

 

Chloe took a while to calm down, but she still looked around scaredly, trying to spot any creatures that were going to come at her.

“You know what? I think it’s best if you take a nap.” Beca stated.

“But…” The redhead choked out. “They’ll get me in my sleep…”

“Alright. Come with me.” The brunette sighed as she stood up, pulling the other girl up with her. They walked towards the house, entering it. Demi was preparing finger food.

“Hey guys. You hungry?” She asked as she plopped a pepper into her mouth.

“Is your guest bedroom useable?” Beca asked. “And can we borrow clothes?”

“Why? Is everything alright?” The blue haired girl asked worriedly.

Chloe shook her head softly. She had her head buried in the brunette’s neck, clutching onto her like she was her lifeline.

“Of course it’s available. You know where everything is.” Demi said softly.

Beca nodded and she guided her friend upstairs. She got her underwear and a big shirt and shorts. She averted her eyes as the redhead got dressed. Chloe slipped into the bed.

“Join me?” She asked weakly.

“Sure, let me get some water and clothes for myself first, yeah?” The brunette replied. “I’ll be back before you know it.” She quickly hurried out of the room, getting dressed herself before going downstairs.

“Did she hallucinate?” Demi asked immediately as Beca grabbed two water bottles.

“Yeah. I don’t know what she saw but it must’ve been pretty scary.” The brunette sighed.

“Shit. I should’ve known. I’m sorry.” The blue haired girl apologized.

“It’s okay. We all thought it wouldn’t happen. I’ll be up with her now. If you could slip me my phone and food in 30 minutes that’d be great.” Beca shrugged it off. Demi nodded and the brunette turned around, making her way back up. 

When she entered the room again, Chloe was lying in the bed, shaking. “Hey Chlo. I’m back.” She said softly, gently laying a hand on the other girl’s shoulder.

The redhead flinched. “Go away! Leave me alone!” She sobbed out.

Beca slipped into the bed next to her friend. “It’s me. Beca.” She whispered. 

Chloe immediately shuffled closer, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl. “You were all decapitated. He did that.” She whimpered.

“It wasn’t real. We’re all living and breathing.” The brunette reassured her friend.

“It seemed and felt so real though…” The redhead sniffled.

“I’m here now. I will fend off these scary things.” Beca said determined.

Chloe nodded, pressing her ear to the smaller girl’s chest again. “Thank you.” She whispered after a while.

“No problem.” The brunette replied as she pressed a kiss against the redhead’s head.

Soon, Chloe’s breathing evened out and Beca let out a sigh of relief.

 

True to her word, Demi came in with food and the brunette’s phone, dropping it off on the nightstand. Beca gave her a thumbs up and the blue haired girl nodded before turning back around, leaving the room quietly. The brunette shuffled a little, careful not to wake up her friend as she grabbed the food Demi brought and started eating it. Then, she browsed through Twitter and Instagram. Her brows furrowed as her eyes fell onto a magazine article.  _ Beca Mitchell with new fling? _ She clicked on it, and it showed pictures of her and Chloe at the museum, and even at the restaurant they were at. “Shit.” She whispered. She looked at related articles. _ Who’s the eye candy?  _ The girl rolled her eyes. _ Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale reconcile.  _ She nodded.  _ Bechloe - a timeline. _ The brunette raised her eyebrows as she clicked on it. The article showed pictures from their college years, taken from Instagram, as well as from the five years they were apart, to the most recent pictures. Beca scrolled a little slower as she hadn’t seen the pictures of Chloe during the five years. There were a lot with Chicago and she felt a stab of jealousy before remembering that the redhead was hers now. She looked at the pictures from college, smiling at all of them. She froze however when there appeared several pictures from a party. She squinted her eyes, scanning the pictures, wondering why they were included before her eyes widened. In the background were two girls, a redhead and a brunette, liplocked and clinging onto each other. “Holy shit.” Beca whispered. They had made out before apparently. The pictures showed mostly that makeout session, but also how they disappeared together. She would’ve known if they ended up having sex… right? She made a mental note to ask the only sober one at those parties: Emily. She shook her head as her eyes fell onto the headline of another related article.  _ Hollywood’s newest couple. _ Okay, that was a little too much. She closed the tabs and sighed. She definitely had to talk with Chloe about this. For now, she needed to take care of her. Like she hasn’t done that these past two weeks. She let her hand run over the redhead’s sweat clad forehead and hair, stroking her softly. She had to smile as she remembered their date. After 11 years she finally went on a date with the love of her life. And it went well. She was looking forward to their future.

 

Chloe woke up 9 hours later. She stretched, accidentally punching a softly snoring Beca into her face. The other girl woke up with a confused snore. “Huh?” She asked.

“Sorry.” The redhead whispered. Her eyes fell onto the water bottle on the nightstand and she eagerly grabbed it, gulping it down quickly.

“How are you feeling?” The brunette asked tiredly, looking softly at her friend.

“I feel exhausted. But a little better than before.” Chloe replied.

“Here, have some apples.” Beca yawned as she grabbed the other water bottle, drinking from it and then handed Chloe the bowl of apples.

The redhead took a few apple pieces into her hands, munching on one of them. “How late is it?” She asked with a full mouth.

“Uh…” The smaller girl picked up her phone. “2 am.”

“Woah.” Chloe replied. “Guess we’ll continue sleeping.”

“Supporting that idea.” Beca yawned again as she slipped more into the bed. “Goodnight.”

“Night Becs.” The redhead whispered. She finished eating and pressed a kiss onto the brunette’s cheek. “Thank you again.”

 

The next morning they collected their clothes which Demi had folded up neatly on the counter. They put them on, replacing their clothes on the counter with Demi’s. Beca brewed them a coffee and Chloe took her mug thankfully. They sat in comfortable silence, waiting for the blue haired girl to get up so they could go home.

“Morning guys.” Demi greeted them as she entered the room.

“Hey.” Beca greeted her. “How are you?”

“I still feel bad for yesterday. But otherwise good.” The other girl smiled softly.

“It’s okay.” Chloe whispered. “I’m fine now.”

“I’m still really sorry though. I should’ve known better.” The blue haired girl sighed.

“It was too late anyways. Chloe had already eaten it. The effects would’ve kicked in anyways.” The brunette tried to reassure her friend.

“And Beca took care of me. It wasn’t real what I saw and I know that now.” The redhead chimed in.

“Alright guys. I’ll make it up to you somehow anyways. You can’t stop me on that one Mitchell.” Demi said sternly.

“Alright alright.” Beca smiled, raising her hands defeatedly. “We would go home now if that’s okay. We need a shower and new clothes.” She giggled.

“Yeah sure. Thanks for hanging out with me. I missed you.” The blue haired girl admitted.

“No problem nerd.” The brunette replied.

“Thanks for giving me the chance to meet you.” Chloe said softly. “It was really cool.”

“Me too. You’re a great gal.” Demi winked.

 

Beca and Chloe hailed themselves a cab and after bidding goodbye to Demi, they made their way back. Once arrived in the apartment, they agreed on occupying both bathrooms, one for each. They showered and put on sweats before meeting up again in the living room.

“So…” The brunette said awkwardly.

“So?” The redhead asked softly, smiling.

“That was something huh?” Beca grinned.

“Yeah, your text was the best one.” Chloe smirked, biting her lip.

“Oh god.” The smaller girl blushed. “You’re not gonna let me off the hook so easily huh?”

“Nope.” The other girl replied, popping the p.

“Great.” Beca sighed. “What do you want to do?”

“Hmmmm…” Chloe looked around. “How about something we haven’t done in a long while?”

“And what would that be?” The brunette asked, raising her eyebrow. She couldn’t help that her mind immediately jumped to a very particular night.

“Something we did as kids!” The redhead clapped her hands together excitedly.

“Oh. Dork.” Beca giggled. “How about a pillow fort? I always liked building those.”

“I never built one.” Chloe admitted shyly.

“What?!” The smaller girl gasped. “We’re doing it right now!” She pulled her friend to her feet. “You get blankets and pillows, I’ll take the couch cushions and construct a wall. Got it?” 

Chloe nodded with a huge grin and sped off, taking pillows and blankets with her on the way. She came back, a huge mountain in her arms. She dropped all of it down where she assumed the couch was, only to find she dropped it off a little further away. 

Beca had already made a pretty stable looking wall. “Good! Throw me some pillows for the floor!” She instructed.

The redhead giggled as she threw some pillows at her friend, one hitting her in the back. “You would need a construction helmet. That would make this really cute.” 

“Wow. Good to know I’m not cute otherwise.” The brunette replied with an eye roll. “Hand me the blanket.” She instructed as she motioned to a huge piece of fabric.

Chloe did as told and Beca climbed up onto the couch, hanging the blanket onto a hook that was in the ceiling. “Could it be that you’re doing this often?” The taller girl asked with a knowing smirk.

“What? Can’t a girl have a hook conveniently hanging around?” The brunette replied with a blush, jumping down from the couch. She tucked the blanket around the couch cushions, engulfing the interior completely. “Okay, our tent slash house is standing.” She smiled at her work proudly. 

“Isn’t it going to be dark in there though?” Chloe asked.

“I would’ve grabbed the lamp on my nightstand. To light it up I mean.” Beca shrugged.

“I have a better idea. Do you happen to have any fairy lights lying around?” The redhead smiled softly.

“What is this, Christmas?” The brunette asked. “Yeah, I think so. In the dresser in the third guest bedroom. Only the boring white ones though. Not the colorful ones.” 

“That’ll do. Be right back.” The taller girl grinned. She skipped towards the bedroom and opened the dresser, finding a box labelled “Decorations”. She opened it and found the lights, taking it with her. She came back and made her way into the pillow fort. It looked cozy already. She clipped the lights into the blanket and hung it up that way before pointing her head back out. “Plug it in!” She ordered.

“Alright.” The other girl smiled before taking the plug and putting it into the outlet. The fort lit up and Chloe had to gasp.

“Get your butt in here!” She exclaimed excitedly.

“Alright, no need to rush me.” Beca giggled as she made her way into the fort. Her eyes grew twice the size when she saw how beautiful it actually looked. “Good idea with the lights Beale.” She smiled softly as she tapped her nose. 

“Thanks.” The other girl blushed lightly. 

Beca sat down on one of the pillows cross legged, smiling at her friend. The light was illuminating her perfectly and made her look pretty. She looked still worn out from the day before as she rested her head on her knees, looking back at the brunette. “What?” She asked softly.

“Nothing. I’m just… looking.” The smaller girl replied with a soft smile.

They sat in comfortable silence, looking at the fairy lights. “They look like stars.” Chloe said softly after a while.

“Yeah. But not as pretty.” Beca nodded.

“I’m sorry.” The redhead whispered.

“For what?” The brunette asked, concerned.

“For making you worry yesterday. For having hallucinations.” Chloe sniffled.

“Hey, you can’t control how edibles affect you.” Beca protested as she inched a little closer to her friend.

“It was so scarily realistic though. First there was this three headed tiger lunging at me, then there was this man with a bull head slicing off all of your heads and demons were flying around everywhere.” The redhead explained as tears started running down her face.

“Woah. I’m sorry you had to live through that.” The brunette whispered as she cupped her friend’s cheek, wiping the tears away.

“And your melting face… Gosh… I could feel it dripping on me.” Chloe shuddered at the thought. “I’m just really glad it’s over.”

“I can imagine.” Beca nodded as she looked at the older girl with soft eyes. 

“Thanks for always being there for me and putting up with me. I must be a real burden.” The redhead whispered.

“Nonsense. I’ll always be gladly of service.” The brunette shook her head. “Even if it does kind of suck sometimes. But!” She immediately added. “It’s all worth it in the end.” 

“Why?” Chloe asked.

“Because I get to have you again.” Beca admitted softly. “I feel so honored you’re trusting me enough to help you, even though I basically ruined your life.”

“That’s on me too.” The redhead said softly. “I should’ve waited and broke up with Chicago. But no, drunk me gave into my desires.”

“I should’ve known better too.” The smaller girl shrugged. “We don’t know how to handle this properly do we?” She chuckled.

“Yeah.” Chloe smiled softly. “But now we’re both here, both not occupied with something or someone else, and just enjoy each other’s company, and..” She trailed off.

“Are you asking me to kiss you?” Beca asked softly.

“... Maybe.” The redhead replied shyly.

The sight of a slightly blushing Chloe who was shyly asking for a kiss made the brunette’s stomach flip. “Alright.” She smiled softly before closing the gap between them slowly, stopping inches in front of the redhead’s face to make sure she really wanted it. Chloe’s eyes were half closed, her lips parted in anticipation. The other girl didn’t need another signal and closed the gap fully, softly pressing her lips onto the redhead’s. It was soft and gentle, almost like they were too afraid to hurt each other, and filled with so much love that Beca’s heart was about to combust.

Chloe’s heart was beating loudly in her chest and she really hoped the brunette wouldn’t hear it. She deepened the kiss slowly, wrapping her arms around the brunette’s neck, pulling her closer. She felt like that she had finally come home and the weight resting on her heart has just become a lot lighter. She felt Beca’s hands wrap around her back, pulling her close. She was convinced the brunette could feel her loudly beating heart with her chest pushed so close against her own chest.

 

They made out for a while until they had to pull apart to breathe. “Woah.” Chloe said, breathless. 

“Your heart is beating so loud.” Beca noted with a smile. Her cheeks were flushed and she bit her lip, looking at the redhead. Chloe looked just as flustered, her cheeks colored red and her hair sticking out to the side a bit. 

“Well… yeah…” The redhead whispered, feeling her own heart. “I think I’m having a heart attack.”

“Don’t. I don’t want to lose you. Again.” The brunette said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind the other girl’s ear.

“You won’t.” Chloe admitted shyly.

“So there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about…” Beca started.

“Oh god, are you pregnant?” The redhead asked, trying to lighten the mood because she could sense a heavy topic was coming up. It made her scared.

“No.” The brunette chuckled. “The… the press saw us. At our date I mean.” She pulled out her phone to show Chloe the articles. 

The redhead gasped as she saw the party pics. “Is that… us?” She asked, zooming more into the picture.

“Yeah…” Beca whispered. “It surprised me too. Why do I not remember that night?”

“I don’t either.” Chloe replied. “Do you think we had sex?” She asked softly when she reached the pictures where they walked away, hand in hand.

“That’s the thing. I don’t know. I think Legacy could know. She stayed sober that night.” The brunette shrugged.

“Then we’ll do that. I need to know.” The redhead replied weakly.

“Yeah. But it sucks that the paps need new stories so badly that they’re just going ahead and assume that every person they see me with is a potential love interest, especially with those pictures from the party, but, uh… my point is that… I want to know if you’re comfortable with that. The fact that you’re dating me. Like. Officially. I mean, only if you want to of course. But I can always have my manager deny these rumors and state them as “not true”, that we’re only friends and nothing more but that’s not entirely true because we kissed and had sex and…” Beca was full on rambling now and Chloe smiled softly before she shut the brunette up with a kiss.

“I want to be your girlfriend. I’ve wanted this for 11 years, do you really think I’d hop off the train as soon as I get the possibility to call you mine?” The redhead giggled softly as she brushed her thumb over the brunette’s cheek.

“Well, I don’t know. We’ve been through a lot of shit--” Beca started again.

“Which we conquered. And I truly believe we can conquer anything.” Chloe interrupted her. “So, Beca Mitchell, I want to be your girlfriend.”

“Wow. I…” The brunette was at a loss for words. “I don’t know what to say. You’re… You took my breath away.” She chuckled softly. “I also want to be your girlfriend. Be there for you, forever and always.”

“Then I’d say we’re officially dating now.” The redhead whispered.

Beca looked at her with wide eyes. “Woa. This feels so strange but in a good way.” She giggled.

“Shut up and kiss me again.” Chloe smiled and the brunette obeyed, pulling her girlfriend in for another kiss.


	13. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, back with another one.This chap is kind of healing, soI hope y'all feel warm, fuzzy and soft at the end (;

Chloe woke up with a groan as she heard Beca's alarm ring. She felt her muscles protest as she shuffled up to turn it off. Shivering, she quickly buried herself back underneath the duvet, yawning. With a soft smile, she looked over to the brunette, who apparently hadn’t been bothered by the alarm. The other girl was still sound asleep, her lips slightly parted and and Chloe could hear her softly snoring. She grinned at her sleeping girlfriend, marvelling at how innocent and cute she looked. She opted going back to sleep but knew Beca would be in trouble if she did. She had already missed too much work as it was. So instead, Chloe carefully stroked a stray strand of the brunette’s hair behind her ear and very softly pressed her lips onto Beca’s. 

The brunette in question let out a loud snort before her eyes fluttered open widely, making the redhead jump a little. Beca looked around bewildered but relaxed when she looked into Chloe's eyes. 

"Woah, rude. Cutting off my oxygen supply with a kiss." She said sleepily.

Chloe giggled at her. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to kiss you so badly." She pressed her lips on Beca's once more, smiling.

"Not complaining." Beca mumbled as she stretched. "Man, I should stop working till so late. I’m literally so tired.” 

The other girl’s eyes widened and she slapped her girlfriend playfully. "Dummy. You should've gone to bed early like me. Did you get far though? I feel bad… It’s my fault that you have to work so much now." She said, snuggling into Beca's neck, nuzzling her with her nose. “It’s only because you took so much time off for me.”

The brunette shook her head. “Would gladly do it again. You needed me. You come first, work comes second.” She was repaid with a soft smile from Chloe.

“We should really get up.” The redhead said after a while, while she snuggled up closer to the other girl. 

Beca chuckled. “Well, then stop cuddling me.“ She kissed her girlfriend’s cheek before rolling out of bed. “I’ll make you breakfast. You should probably check my laptop to see if Dr. Martens has replied.” 

The redhead froze. “You think she replied?”

“Probably.” Beca replied with a shrug.

“Okay...well I’ll look.” Chloe said nervously. She slipped out of the bed as well, wiping her eyes tiredly. Her hair was sticking out to the side crazily.

The other girl laughed. “You look hilarious. Go brush your hair first.” She slipped on a bathrobe and winked at Chloe before making her way towards the kitchen, preparing some french toast. The redhead nodded tiredly and went to the bathroom to brush her hair. She did look crazy and stuck out her tongue at her reflection. When her hair was not working at all, she sighed and started braiding it into two braids. "Better." She said to herself before making her way over to the kitchen, still wearing her pajamas. 

 

Beca was flipping the toast in the pan and had poured both of them some coffee when the redhead appeared in the doorframe. She was carrying Beca’s laptop under her arm and had her hair braided, which made her look adorable.“Sup?” She asked Chloe who sat down at the kitchen island. “I’m making you french toast. You look great in those braids.” 

The redhead beamed at her. “You used to make me that every morning.” She opened the laptop, yawning softly.

“I know.” Beca smiled back with a wink as she plopped the toast on a plate and set it down in front of Chloe, who was busy starting up the laptop. She watched her log into her mail nervously.

“And?” She asked as she took a bite of her toast.

"There's a reply." Chloe said softly. She clicked it and started reading, her eyes big and scared.

"Could you like...read it out loud?" Beca asked with a smirk. 

“Oh right, sorry." Chloe smiled a little sheepishly. She cleared her throat. "Dear Ms. Beale, I want to thank you for your email. It sounds like there is a lot on your plate right now and I think it would be a great plan to start therapy with me as soon as possible, starting with once a week. We will look at ways to help you with your eating disorder and try to lower your anxiety. Does that sound like a good plan? I'll hear from you soon." She read aloud. "And then she finished with her name and phone number."

Beca smiled. “She sounds nice. Should you call her to make an appointment?”

“I guess so.” The redhead replied, looking a little intimidated. 

The other girl smiled. “If it’s too scary I’m sure it’s fine if you just email her back.” 

Chloe cleared her throat. "I could call her....but it is scary. But sometimes you need to do scary things." She said softly.

“You want me to hold your hand during the call?” Beca offered sweetly. She took another bite from her toast and moved closer to the redhead, nudging her knees.

“You would?” The redhead replied shyly, looking at the brunette with big eyes. 

The smaller girl widened her smile. “Of course.” 

"Alright. Do you think we should call her right now?" Chloe said, while taking a bite from her french toast. 

Beca checked the time. "I think she should be at work. Try it.”

The other girl nodded, her eyes a little big as she got out her phone. She typed in the number, pressing dial with shaking hands.

The brunette grabbed the redhead's hand, squeezing it supportively. After a while, a voice rang through the speaker. "Hello? This is Doctor Martens speaking." Beca saw how Chloe squeezed her eyes shut but cleared her throat. "Hello, this is Chloe Beale speaking. I just got your email and thought it would be better to call to make an appointment." She said in one breath.

"Ah, hello! That's very thoughtful of you." Doctor Martens smiled. "I would be free this Friday between 2 and 6. Claim what you need." She offered.

Chloe bit her lip. "Uhm….Would 4 be okay?" She said, nervously. Beca would be taking her with her car, and it would be best to be off work for that. 

"Sure! I will be looking forward to it. See you Friday then." Doctor Martens replied.

The redhead smiled. "See you on Friday, doctor.”

She hung up and looked her phone wide eyed. "She sounded really nice."

"Certainly. So I'm guessing your appointment is at 4? When?" Beca asked.

“Next Friday." Chloe replied softly. She felt nervous to talk to someone she didn't know about her problems. It seemed...odd. But also kind of exciting, in a weird way.

"Perfect. I'll drive you there and wait until you're done." The other girl smiled supportively.

The redhead looked at Beca, her eyes wide. "You'll wait for me? You can handle that, sitting in a waiting room by yourself for a hour?"

"I have things to keep me preoccupied Beale!" The other girl protested. "I won't die of boredom. Don't worry."

Chloe snickered. “Alright. That’d be nice. It would be scary going alone.” She took another bite from her toast.

“Yeah. You got it.” Beca replied. They ate in silence for a while.

“I’m kind of excited, is that weird?” The redhead spoke up with a full mouth.

"No. It's totally understandable." Beca smiled as she ate her third slice of french toast..

Chloe smiled. "I wonder what she's like. She sounded nice. Pretty young though. " She said and sipped her coffee.

"Well, some are old, some are young. Doesn't mean they're not as good as older ones who have more experience." The other girl shrugged.

The redhead bit her lip. “I guess so. It probably feels more natural to talk to a young person. Like a normal conversation.”

“I really hope you’ll get the proper help from her.” Beca said softly.

Chloe nodded. "Me too. I'm sorry if it's all too much. I know it's awkward for you. "

"It isn't. I'm trying my best to understand and support you." The brunette smiled.

The taller girl grabbed Beca's hand and squeezed it. "I don't think you understand how much that means to me. Thank you.." She said softly, looking into the other girl's eyes and blinking away tears.

"You’re very welcome. But please don't cry." The brunette smiled sweetly and went to cup the redhead's cheek. She brushed her thumb over it, looking into her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I won't." Chloe said, sniffling softly. "Things are going to change. I know it."

"For the better." Beca added before planting a soft kiss onto the other girl's lips.

The redhead smiled and looked at her toast. "I'm finishing this." She said, clenching her fist decidedly.

"You don't have to." The brunette replied and giggled at the redhead's expression.

Chloe shook her head. "No, no no. I have to." She took another bite and smiled proudly.

"You’re a cutie." Beca laughed, making the other girl blush. 

Soon enough, Chloe finished her toast, shoving her plate away proudly. "Done." She said with her mouth still full.

 

On Wednesday afternoon, Beca and Chloe were snuggled up on the couch. The brunette was staring at the redhead lovingly while she caressed the other girl’s cheek with her thumb. Chloe smiled up at her girlfriend before kissing her gently. “You’re so good to me.” She whispered against Beca’s lips.

“I’m just really glad, you know?” The smaller girl mumbled with a grin.

The redhead hummed. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?” Beca asked curiously.

“When you disappeared to order food, Demi offered me a number. For… a potential job.” Chloe confessed. “It’d be at a vet. It’s called Heart for Animals. But…”

“That sounds amazing Chloe!” The brunette beamed. “But what?” She added carefully.

“I’d be the co-owner. Represent the vet along with Sam, the owner. Do a lot of work, and it’d be public as well. That kind of… Scares me.” The redhead admitted.

“Yeah, I get that it can be a lot. But I think it’d be good for you. You’d get to work with animals again. I’m tired of your face dropping every time you see a cute animal on your instagram feed or outside and you’re reminded that you can’t help them if they should be in need one day.” Beca smiled softly. “As far as I know Demi, she works with a lot of understanding people. So I think you should give Sam a call, explain your situation a bit and ask her if she’d be okay with employing you while you still recover. She’d be a fool to let you go.”

“But that’s the part that lets most employers shy away, Becs. They don’t want people with mental illnesses or other disabilities. They want healthy and fit people who can endure a lot.” The redhead argued with a frown.

“Look, before you pin any kind of profile on Sam, I think you should just call her. I’ll hold your hand, I’ll be there for you. I’ll fight her for you if needed, alright?” The smaller girl squeezed her girlfriend’s hand supportively.

“Okay.” Chloe nodded weakly after a while. She got out her phone with shaky hands and opened Sam’s contact. She had typed in the number because she knew she would lose the paper. Her finger hovered over the caller ID, and Beca grabbed it and pressed onto the call button. The redhead slowly put the phone to her ear and started squeezing her girlfriend’s hand tightly.

“Hello, this is Sam Miller speaking. What can I do for you?” A female voice rung out. It sounded oddly young.

“Hello. My… my name’s Chloe Beale. I’m calling because of… the job offer.” Chloe cringed a little at herself, but one look at Beca’s reassuring smile and she felt a small confidence boost.

“You mean the co-owner position?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, Demi gave me your number when we hung out and told me you were looking for a co-owner. I thought I should give it a try.” The redhead replied.

“I see. Well, I think you should send me an application so I can look over it and then I’ll get back to you?” The woman on the other line suggested. “You can find the infos on our website. Heartsforanimals.org.”

“Wait. Uhm. There… Might be something I should get out of the way first.” Chloe’s voice dropped a little and Beca nodded, giving her girlfriend a smile.

“What is it?” Sam asked.

“I… I’m going to be in therapy soon. Well, at least my first appointment is on Friday. And… It’s for… Well, I have trouble eating. And I get really anxious at times. So I’d be recovering from that. Hopefully anyways. I just… Wanted to be honest about that. Not that you want to interview me and then I’m totally different from what you’ve imagined…” The redhead rambled.

“Thanks for being honest. I think you should include the results of your therapy session to your application. Not like, the details, just the overall conclusion. If that’s okay with you, of course.” The woman on the other line smiled. “I appreciate your honesty, really. But I want you to know that if I think you’re not suited for this job, it’s not because of your problems, alright? It might be your qualifications or something else. So don’t think I don’t allow you to work because you’re dealing with some personal things.”

Chloe felt tears sting in her eyes.“Thank you Sam.” She whispered.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be looking forward to your application. And good luck on Friday. First therapy sessions can be hard, but good.” Sam smiled. “Have a nice evening.”

“Thanks, you too. Bye.” The redhead hung up and let her phone drop into her lap before she hugged the brunette tightly. “I feel so blessed.” She sobbed out.

Beca chuckled softly as she rubbed her girlfriend’s back. “So I’m guessing it went well?”

“More than that.” Chloe sniffled. “I have to include my therapy session in my application though. Just like… The results.”

“Well, I’m sure she’ll take you, no matter what the results are, sweetheart. Because you were honest. Like, right from the start. That leaves a good first impression.” The brunette smiled.

The redhead nodded as she tightened her hug. “I really hope this is gonna go well.”

 

That Friday, Chloe was looking at the clock nervously, her hands fumbling with the hem of the red sweatshirt she was wearing. Today was their first appointment with her therapist and her heart was beating loudly in her chest. She felt extremely nervous and it had been evident to Beca that she was really scared. The brunette in question was still working in her studio, checking the clock just as nervously. She tried to finish up the song she was writing, but her mind was with her red haired girlfriend who was sitting in the living room. A smile formed on her lips when she thought about Chloe as her girlfriend. It still seemed so unreal and amazing, it made her heart flutter. 

 

In the other room, Chloe was trying to read the Secret Garden, but every time she read a sentence, she had to read it again because she hadn’t really understood what it said. After trying to read the same words for the tenth time, she groaned and dropped the book in her lap. She still had to wait another hour until Beca and her would be leaving for the therapist office and it made her feel crazy. Her eyes fell onto the remote and she decided to watch some TV, hoping it would calm her down. She turned it on and flicked through the channels until she came across an episode of My Little Pony. She shrugged and dropped the remote in her lap, watching the cheerful coloured ponies on the screen. 

 

When the clock almost striked half past three, Beca closed her laptop thankfully. She stretched as she got up from her chair, looking around at the scattered pieces of sheet music. “Maybe like...clean this up one day, Mitchell.” She said to herself, leaving the room quickly. She came up to the living room and heard high, cartoonish voices coming from the TV. Her brow furrowed as she walked in, seeing Chloe watching the screen intently. 

“Are you...are you seriously watching My Little Pony?” 

“You gonna judge Mitchell?” The redhead retorted. She had curled up on the couch and was hugging a pillow to her chest.

“Uhm...no...maybe.” Beca said, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing. “It’s kinda cute.”

Chloe blushed and turned off the TV. “We have to go, right?” She said, breathing nervously.

“Yeah. You nervous?” The brunette replied, watching the redhead get up from the couch.

“I’m dying.” The taller girl replied, looking at her girlfriend with big eyes. 

“Aw, you’ll be okay. I’m gonna be with you. At least...until the door.” Beca replied, taking the redhead’s hands in her own and squeezing them.

Chloe mustered up a small smile. “I know. I just...I feel like she’s going to judge me.” 

“Well, she won’t. This is her job. Would a doctor judge you for breaking your leg?” Beca replied, looking at her girlfriend sternly.

“No…but...that will never be someone’s own fault.” Chloe whispered, looking down at feet sadly.

“Do you really think that all of this is your fault? That the way you’re feeling is because of something you did or thought?” The smaller girl looked at the redhead worriedly. 

The other girl looked at her, sadness in her eyes.“Kind of…”

Beca clenched her jaw angrily. “No. It’s not. Mental illness can happen to anyone in any kind of situation. It’s not your fault and it never will be. Please never forget that, okay?” 

Chloe nodded and looked up again, her eyes locking with Beca’s.

“Okay.” She said softly, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss onto the brunette’s lips. 

 

During the car ride towards the clinic, Chloe felt her heart beat loudly in her chest and stared outside nervously. She tried to remember what Beca told her, running it over and over in her head. The therapist wouldn’t judge her for her problems and try to help. She took a huge breath and looked at her girlfriend, who had her free hand wrapped around hers, stroking it supportively with her thumb. They arrived at the office not soon after and Beca stopped the car in a parking space. She got out and opened Chloe’s door, chuckling a little. The redhead was sat upright, her eyes wide and her hands were clutching the seat. 

"Hey, she won’t be able to help you if you stay in here." The brunette said softly. “Come on.” She unbuckled the other girl’s seatbelt and grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the car. They stumbled onto parking space and Beca tried to steady Chloe, chuckling. “You’ll be fine, Chlo.” 

“Right.” The taller girl managed to choke out. Her muscles tensed with every step they took towards the therapist's office and she felt Beca tug her along inside. They walked to the front desk and the employee behind the desk looked up with a smile. The eyes behind the round glasses she was wearing looked kind.

"Hi, Chloe Beale is here for her appointment." Beca said sweetly. The secretary nodded and notified the therapist. "You can sit down while you wait. It’ll only be a few minutes." She said, motioning to the chairs. The brunette pulled a dazed Chloe along, sitting her down. "How are you feeling?"

The other girl cleared her throat, wincing. "Like I might throw up or faint." She whispered, looking around the therapist office nervously. There were lots of posters hanging around, and one caught her eye. “Feelings thermometer?” She whispered to Beca, pointing at the poster.

“I guess they use a scale for emotions” The brunette replied, smiling.

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “That seems kind of stupid.”

"You need to trust the people here. They’re going to help you." Beca said calmly. "And Demi told me Dr. Martens was really nice. She's not going to bite your head off, that's for sure."

"But what if she thinks what I did to Chicago… and to you, was wrong?" Chloe replied, looking down at her lap sadly.

The brunette squeezed her girlfriend’s hands."Whatever her opinion may be, it wouldn't be professional to voice it. You're here to talk about yourself and your problems and all she's going to do is try to help you. In a way that I can't. And I think I really did a good job already, didn't I?" 

The redhead nodded. "You're the most amazing girlfriend ever." She cracked a small smile. "Thank you for coming with me."

"I'll always be by your side, don't forget that." Beca smiled supportively. She wanted to say something more but heard Chloe's name got called. "Guess that's it." 

The redhead nodded and got up in a rush of bravery. "I'll… I'll see you after. " She said softly and shot her girlfriend one last nervous look before following the secretary towards the hallway. Beca sat down and crossed her fingers for Chloe. She busied herself with the magazines that were lying around, quietly humming to herself.

 

Once Chloe arrived inside the office, Dr. Martens looked up at immediately with a smile before standing up and extending her hand for the redhead to shake. She spoke up with a soft voice. "Hello, I’m Dr. Martens. Call me Nina. How are you today?".The woman in front of Chloe was quite tall and she wore round glasses. Her long brown hair was braided and draped over her shoulder. The redhead smiled nervously and grabbed Nina's hand. 

"Nice to meet you. I'm Chloe." Her eyes met the kind eyes of the woman in front of her and she swallowed. "I...I don't know how I'm feeling. Good?" She said questioningly.

The brown haired doctor smiled kindly. "I can imagine that this must be a little scary for you. The first time is always a little intimidating." She motioned for the other girl to sit down. "But please, have a seat. I want to get to know you." 

Chloe nodded and sat down, crossing her legs and folding her hands together nervously. "It is a little scary, yeah." She admitted.

“Do you want to have a cup of tea?" Dr. Martens asked. "Or do you prefer coffee? Or water?"

"I'd...I'd like some tea, please." The redhead replied, smiling slightly at the kind gesture. She relaxed her back a little. Dr. Martens nodded as she poured two cups. "I hope green tea is okay?" She handed the redhead a cup before sitting down in her own chair, taking a sip.

Chloe smiled. "Yeah, that's...actually one of my favourites." She took the cup gingerly, giving her hands something to hold so they'd stop shaking. She looked around Nina’s office, her eyes a little wide. On her side was a poster, on it was a bottle filled with tiny cats and it was labelled ‘Antidepressants’. It made Chloe chuckle. 

The brunette in front of her smiled and cleared her throat. "So, Chloe." Dr. Martens picked up her notebook. "Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What are your favorite things? What do you work as?" 

The redhead felt a little overwhelmed at all the sudden questions and took a deep breath. "Well...huh...Okay. I'm originally from Portland. I grew up there. And I went to college in Atlanta. Spent a lot of time there. Then I moved to New York with...my boyfriend. And now I'm here." Chloe said, counting the places she lived at on her fingers. "My favorite things? I love the stars and books and singing and music, and I adore animals. Oh, I love my girlfriend. She's my favorite thing too. Oh, and I...I don’t have a job currently. But I’d like to be a vet. That’s what I went to school for, at least. And I’m actually working on trying to get a job." She rambled. 

Dr. Martens nodded as she jotted down everything. "A vet huh? That sounds great." She smiled softly. "What did you mean when you said you spent a lot of time in college?"

The redhead blushed furiously. "Well...I...I was in an acapella group called the Bellas. They were my entire world. And if I'd graduate, I wouldn't be able to sing with them anymore. I'd lose my family. So...I kind of failed my classes three times in a row so I could remain a Bella...." She said, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I see. So you have trouble moving on? Is that right?" The brunette doctor asked as she wrote down the new information. She looked up at the redhead intently, who sighed.

"Yeah..I guess that's it." Chloe said, biting her lip. She felt embarrassed talking to this about a complete stranger.

"Okay." The older woman nodded. "Tell me more about your singing group. What was it like? Are you still close with them?"

The redhead cracked a smile. "They...they are awesome. They're my family. I love all of them so much. I can't explain it...I just. " She felt tears well up in her eyes all of a sudden, probably from all the nerves bundling in her stomach. She quickly wiped her eyes.

"They mean a lot to you huh?" Dr. Martens smiled sympathetically and handed the younger girl a tissue. "But please continue."

Chloe nodded and took a deep breath. "Uhm, yeah. Well, the thing is...My parents died during the summer break before I went to college and I don't have any siblings. So when I actually went, I had no one and I was very...alone. It was kind of scary. But then I met Aubrey, my best friend and she took me in and made me feel at home again. We joined the Bellas together and even became captains of the team. And then....then I met Beca." Chloe said, sniffling softly.

"Beca?" Dr. Martens said, writing down the new names.

“Yeah. Beca.” The other girl looked at the doctor with a smile.

“So I’m assuming she’s your girlfriend?” The brunette smiled knowingly as she noted down some more stuff.

The redhead nodded. "Yes. She is. Finally after 11 years." A huge smile appeared on her face. 

"11 years? Now that is surely hiding a story you don't come across every day. Do you mind telling me it?" Dr. Martens eyebrows perked up and she leaned forward with interest.

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Well, when Aubrey and I became captains for the Bellas, we had to recruit new members because everyone but us graduated. We were at the activities fair and it wasn't going so well and then this girl walked up. She wore a lot of eyeliner and looked kind of scary but she was absolutely gorgeous. That was Beca. From the moment I saw her I knew that I needed to recruit her because I needed to know everything about her. So we asked her, but she said she didn't do singing." Chloe smirked. "However, the next day while I was in the shower I heard someone singing and I knew it was her so...I...I walked in on her and we sang together. And I convinced her to audition because her voice was out of this world. And...well she joined the Bellas and we had so much fun."

The older woman raised her eyebrows with a smile."Interesting. That's definitely a weird technique to recruit new members." Dr. Martens chuckled. "But it seemed to have worked. What happened next?"

The redhead shrugged. "Well, I mean I couldn't wait for the next day to recruit her so I just...I don't know." She blushed. "Anyway, we ended up competing in a lot of tournaments and a lot of things happened. Beca really wanted to be a music producer and singer and we all supported her dream. When all graduated we moved to New York together with another friend, but it wasn’t going so great for all of us. We were kind of stuck. So we came together one final time to perform on the USO tour and she actually got discovered by DJ. Khaled. She was his newest talent and now she’s super famous. I am so proud of her." Chloe smiled.

Dr. Martens smiled. “And why did you only get together after 11 years? To me, it sounds like you love her a lot.” 

The redhead bit her lip. "I was in love with her from the second I saw her but she had boyfriends and...she wasn't that great with talking about feelings. So it was a secret for a long time."

"I see. Why did you never bring it up? Were you scared?" The doctor asked curiously. 

"Well...I guess so. I didn't want to ruin my friendship with her." Chloe nodded, biting her lip.

"Okay. Understandable." The brunette doctor nodded. "Did you ever… come out to your other friends?"

The redhead blushed. “I’ve never actually given a label to my sexuality. I just… I fall in love with men and women. I fall in love with people, I guess. And yeah, I told Aubrey about it. She was the only one, though.” 

“Do you have any problems with your sexuality?” The older woman asked, looking at Chloe intently.

“Not really, no. I mean, I always saw myself marrying a man and having kids, but...there’s not much of a difference whether I would marry a man or a woman. “

Dr. Martens smiled. “Do you see yourself marrying Beca?”

“Maybe.” The redhead blushed and looked down shyly, which made the other woman chuckle.

"So what finally got you two together?" She asked with a smile.

Chloe swallowed heavily."That's actually something really recent. After Beca got discovered we didn't talk for 5 years because we got in a really big fight and… Well… things happened. But we had a reunion a few weeks ago with everyone and we reconnected but then we fought again. I thought we were done forever but I lost my house and I had nowhere to go so in a crazy leap of faith I came here." Chloe said in one breath.

The doctor wrote down what she said and laughed a little at the redhead’s antics. "Okay. Let’s go at this one thing at the time." Dr. Martens smiled. "What happened? How did you lose your house? Does it have to do with why you stopped eating?" She asked, getting straight to the point. Her eyes roamed over Chloe’s face.

The redhead's eyes widened a little. "Uhm, yeah. I guess. Okay so… It all started with a boyfriend who was actually my fiance. I met him at our final Bellas tour. I was so done with chasing Beca and he was sweet to me. We were in a relationship for five years." Chloe smiled sadly. "His name was Chicago."

"So I'm guessing you lived together?" Dr. Martens asked, jotting down the new info.

Chloe nodded. "Yes, we lived together in New York. It was great at first but after he proposed things started falling apart. He was away a lot and spent lots of time with friends instead of with me. And when he was home, we never really... talked." The redhead explained. "That's when the reunion happened and I flew to Atlanta to meet the Bellas after five years of nearly no contact.”

Dr. Martens nodded, motioning for Chloe to go on. "Don't leave out too much detail.”

The redhead cleared her throat nervously. "Alright well… okay. From the moment I saw Beca walk in I knew I was still hopelessly in love with her. And it sucked so much because I had all these feelings inside me that I couldn't act on but I really wanted to. And I could tell she felt the same. So...we tried to make it work but it didn't. We couldn't keep our hands off each other." Chloe admitted sheepishly.

"I see. And you were still engaged with Chicago, huh?" The brunette doctor concluded. 

The redhead  nodded shyly. "I know that's bad and I feel really horrible for hurting his feelings." She said sadly. 

The other woman smiled supportively. "So what happened after that? What was the second fight with Beca about?"

Chloe’s smile faded. "While we were at the hotel Beca reconciled with a former...friend with benefits, I guess. I still have no idea how she got to the hotel and why but they decided to go on a sort of date to reconnect. I felt so jealous and horrible because Beca and I had kissed the night before and I thought there was something there. So I got really drunk, and so did Beca. We...had sex when she came home from her date." Chloe felt a blush tint her cheeks as she remembered the situation. "The morning after I felt so hopeful and blessed, but then I found out that Beca had sex with Beth before she come home and it...it kind of broke me."

Dr. Martens smiled sympathetically. "I can imagine that was difficult.”

“It felt like someone squeezed my heart.” The younger girl replied, looking down sadly. 

"So what happened after?" The brunette doctor asked carefully. 

“Well...I felt like my heart broke and I didn’t want to spend another minute with Beca, so I went home early and then Chicago was there. He was being very sweet, so I told him everything." The redhead continued, her face crestfallen as she remembered the horrible moment Chicago slammed the door behind him and left her alone.

"How did he take it?" The older woman asked softly.

"He left." Chloe simply replied, not looking at Dr. Martens. 

The other woman stared at her. "Oh." She quickly wrote it down. "And that's when everything went really downhill?"

The redhead nodded. "I stopped eating then."

"How did it make you feel? When he left." Dr. Martens pressed.

Chloe swallowed heavily. "Well....not so great. I mean, I can't really explain it. It felt like my heart was gone?" She said softly. "I couldn't think anymore, everything was too loud and too much."

Dr. Martens nodded. "Some patients have had a similar experience. When something like that happens, a lot of your senses become heightened and more sensitive. Most people would try to sleep through the day and live at night, when it’s quiet and dark. It’s how a lot of people deal with losing someone."

“Yeah. I didn’t turn on the lights in my house for 2 weeks.” The redhead admitted shyly.

The brunette in front of her frowned. “What did you do during the day?”

Chloe bit her lip. "I watched the static. And slept a lot. The first days I drank all the liquor we had left. That helped.” 

“Sounds...sounds like you were in a pretty bad place.” Dr. Martens said softly.

“I think I would have died if Chicago wouldn't have cancelled the rent and made me move." The redhead replied, matter of factly. 

The doctor tapped her pen on her notepad. “How would you have felt if you had died?” 

“Back then, it was all I could think about.” Chloe admitted. “It feels weird to say that out loud.”

“That’s okay. You can tell me anything. It’s very important to be honest here.” The brunette replied with a supportive smile. “So Chicago cancelled the rent and that is what made you go to Beca.” Dr. Martens concluded. "When was this exactly?"

“I think that was...3 weeks ago?" Chloe said, furrowing her brow."I decided to go to her because...I really don't know actually. It was like my body was leading me there and my mind had no say in it."

The woman opposite of her smiled. “I’m glad that part of you took over and that you’re still with us, Chloe.” 

The redhead replied with a timid smile.

“Have you been in a worse shape than you are now? Because you mentioned you were close to dying if you hadn't left the house you lived in. Why didn’t you go to the hospital?" 

Chloe thought for a while. "I guess the first weeks after my parents died, I was in a similar shape. But then my grandma took me in and made sure I ate and stuff. And she gave great hugs." She smiled sadly at the memory. “I didn’t want to go to the hospital. It seemed a little  unnecessary.”

The doctor frowned heavily. “Okay.” She looked at the redhead with stern eyes. “I do hope you realise how serious an eating disorder can get, Chloe. Your health was in serious danger. You still seem very thin to me. Please, seek help earlier next time, okay?” 

“Okay.” The redhead replied in a small voice.

“I’d like to weigh you before you leave today, if that would be okay? It’s just to make sure you’re okay and we can check on your weight weekly.” The doctor said, looking at Chloe intently.

The younger girl blinked, looking down. “Okay.”

Dr. Martens smiled again. “So, you mentioned your parents died at quite a young age. Would you say you got over their death quite well? Or are there setbacks still?" Dr. Martens asked.

"I think I've accepted it, yeah. I mean, it still hurts sometimes on their birthdays or when I think about the fact that Beca will never know them or they won't ever see me get married and have kids..." The redhead said, looking down sadly. "But I've given that feeling a spot in my heart and I can deal with it okay, I think."

The brunette doctor nodded and wrote it down. “Do you want to tell me a little bit about Beca? She seems like the most important person in your life right now, so I’d like to know more about her.”

Chloe smiled. "Yes. I'd like to." Her entire face lit up when Beca's name left the therapist's lips. "She's like... she seems really tough and scary and angry but she's actually really tiny and cute and so loving and caring. I can't explain why but she's just so...so wonderful. Like the sun." She said softly.

"She sounds like a keeper." Dr. Martens smiled. 

"Yeah, she is." The redhead replied, grinning. "Honestly, she has gone out of her way so much ever since I arrived at her doorstep 3 weeks ago. I sometimes still don't get how I deserve her. Or why she wants me..." Her smile faltered. 

"Well, it sounds like she has accepted you for who you are. She doesn't only cherish your "good" sides, she also cherishes the "bad" ones, the ones where other people would turn their backs." Dr. Martens explained. "What she's doing is something only people do who are gonna be there your whole life, if you want it or not. They’re the good ones." She winked at the girl opposite of her. 

Chloe nodded and felt tears welling up again. "She saved me when I came to her. She could have turned me away because I know I hurt her but she took me in and took care of me. She's so selfless and amazing. I feel like I won't ever be able to show her how grateful I am for that."

"I think she knows it. But it always helps to communicate that. Make sure you do that often." The doctor smiled. "So, we could say that Beca is currently your rock?"

"More like a mountain." Chloe replied with a smirk. "If it weren't for her I wouldn't have come here because I was too scared."

Dr. Martens nodded. She finished up her note and looked up. "So Chloe. What do you expect from these sessions? It helps me if I know what your expectations are."

"Hmmm...I don't really know. I guess... I'm scared a lot and I want to deal with that anxiety?" She said hopefully. “ I’m also scared people will judge me...for what I did. Or...for having a mental illness. When I applied for a job earlier this week, I told the woman the truth. I told her that I would love to work for her but that I was also in therapy. That was really hard. But I’m glad I did it.” 

“Anxiety can be very difficult to deal with. Do you have any problems sleeping?” The brunette asked with a worried look.

“I mean….I sleep okayish when I’m with Beca. But it could be better, I guess. I hope my anxiety will fade.”

"And your eating disorder?" The doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

The redhead nodded nervously. "Yes...and that." She wasn't ready to admit that she had a problem, she realised with a shock.

“I think it would be a good idea to monitor your eating habits. I want you to keep a diary about everything you eat. Every single thing. And also how you feel when eating. Or what makes you not want to eat, I guess. We will work on restoring your relationship to food. You need to learn to enjoy eating again. Okay?”

Chloe nodded. “That sounds good.”

“I think it’s good that you’re applying for a job and being honest from the start. You can work just fine, but you just need a little more attention and care.“ The doctor smiled and took some notes. “Have you ever used medicine for anxiety before?” 

“There’s medicine for that?” The redhead replied with a shocked expression, which made the brunette opposite her laugh.

“Yes. I think it would be a good idea for you to start using Prozac in a small dosage. We’ll see how it will affect your mood and anxiety. “

“So you just take a pill and you’re cured?” The redhead said hopefully.

Dr. Martens laughed. “No...It just helps you along in the process. Prozac contains Fluoxetine, which will help with anxiety and depression and will make your emotions a little more stable.” She handed Chloe a note. “You can go to the apothecary downstairs and get them with this prescription.”

The redhead stared at the note in her hand and nodded. “Okay.” She crumpled up the tissue in her other hand and smiled. "This..felt pretty good."

"That's what I'm aiming at. Making my patients feel good." Dr. Martens grinned. She got up and straightened her skirt. “You ready to step on the scale?” 

The redhead nodded and got up a little nervously.

As the brunette doctor placed a scale down on the floor, she smiled supportively. “You should probably take off your shoes.”

The younger girl did what she was told and stepped onto the scale, closing her eyes. 

Dr. Martens cleared her throat. “Ah. 90 pounds. That could be a little more. Let’s work on that, huh?” 

Chloe nodded and felt her hand on her shoulder, which made her tense up. “You can step off of the scale now.” Dr. Martens said softly and the redhead gladly obeyed, putting on her shoes quickly. She straightened up again and smiled a little awkwardly at the brunette, who crossed her arms.

"Well then, I'm looking forward to seeing you again next week."

Chloe nodded and shuffled her feet a little awkwardly. She was clutching the note with the prescription in her hand. "Yes. Me too. Also...if you want to see Beca, she's in the waiting room. Might give you some perspective....or something." She said shyly.

“Of course." Dr. Martens smiled and walked to the door with Chloe.

 

Beca's head perked up as she heard the door open, immediately smiling at the sight of her girlfriend. She put down the magazine she was reading and stood up. Chloe smiled brightly and looked back at Dr. Martens. "This is her." She said, whipping her arms at Beca as if she was presenting her.

"This is who?" The small brunette asked, walking over unsurely. 

"You. Chloe talked about you." Dr. Martens laughed. She reached out to shake Beca’s hand.

"Oh. Only bad things I hope?”  Beca giggled.

Chloe blushed. "I just thought it be good for Nina to know who you were." She said shyly.

“It's a pleasure to meet you." Dr. Martens smiled. 

Beca nodded and shook Nina's hand. "Likewise." Then, she turned to Chloe. "So I'm guessing you're done?"

"Yes. We're done for today." The redhead replied with a shy grin.

“Cool. Thanks for taking care of her." Beca smiled at Dr. Martens. 

"My pleasure. We'll see each other next week again, yes?" Nina asked Chloe, who nodded. 

"Same time?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes." Dr. Martens smiled and bid them goodbye.

“So…” Beca said awkwardly after the doctor had left.

Chloe showed the brunette the note which contained the Prozac prescription. “We have to go to the apothecary to get my medicine.“ 

The smaller girl shot with a surprised look . “Medicine. Right.” She looked at Chloe, who looked a little scared. She grabbed the redhead’s hand and pulled her along. “The apothecary is there, I think.”

 

After getting the medicine, which Chloe was carrying in a paper bag, they walked towards the brunette's car. As soon as they both sat in their seats, Beca gripped the steering wheel and looked at her girlfriend intently.  "So, how was it?"

The redhead released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "It was okay. She's really nice." She smiled. Her heart felt a lot lighter and she really enjoyed talking to Nina. “It was nice to talk to her about...what happened. It was like she didn’t have an opinion and just listened, you know?”

”That's good." Beca smiled. “I knew she could help you. If you let her in, of course” She winked as she started driving home. "You want to pick up something on the way?" She asked after they had passed several fast food restaurants.

“Can we get pizza?” Chloe replied eagerly, clutching the bag of medicine to her chest.

The brunette beamed. “Of course.” She looked at the redhead and felt a huge smile creep up her cheeks, engulfing her. This was the first time Chloe had asked for any type of food since she arrived and the thought warmed up her heart.

 

After dinner, Beca handed Chloe the bag containing the medicine. “You...you should probably read the leaflet first.” She said softly, sitting down at the kitchen counter next to her girlfriend, who opened the bag and got out the small box containing the medicine. She pried it open with her nails and got out the leaflet containing the information and health risks. 

Clearing her throat, she started reading.

“Very often, seen in more than 1 in 10 users. Sleeping problems, drowsiness, excitement, nervousness. Headaches, shaking, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, sweating.” She said in one breath. 

“Uhm...that sounds like a lot.” Beca said, her brow furrowed.

“Well...I guess you’ll have to watch me carefully.” The redhead replied with a grin. She continued reading. Her eyes scanned the page and she looked at Beca. “It says one in 10.000 people could suffer a sudden death.” She deadpanned. 

The brunette frowned. “Great.” She went to fill a glass of water and handed it to Chloe, who threw the leaflet to the side. She stared at the bottle of medicine on front of her, clutching the glass of ice cold water in her hands.

After unscrewing the lid, she shook it until a small pill fell out of it. She placed it in the palm of her hand. 

“Well...here goes nothing.” She whispered as she popped it into her mouth, swallowing it quickly with the water. 

Beca had been looking at her girlfriend wide-eyed. After she swallowed the pill, the brunette moved closer. “Do you feel anything yet?” She asked curiously.

The redhead chuckled “It doesn’t work that fast, silly.” 

“Oh...well...tell me when you feel it.” The brunette replied with a smile. 

Chloe giggled. “Will do. Or you will see it when the sudden death sets in.” 

 

The next day, Beca sat on the couch, her laptop on her lap, browsing through Google. “God, who knew writing applications could be that hard?” 

Chloe shrugged as she read over the example given by a website. “Why do they all look so different too? Like, the information is the same, it’s just all… different formats.”

“I don’t know. I guess you just start your CV and I’ll leave you to it.” The brunette handed the redhead her laptop before she stood up. ”I’m gonna make us some snacks to cope with this. Be right back.”

Chloe hummed as a response and started filling out the Word document, trying to remember everything that has happened in her life. She got up to retrieve her small binder filled with graduation certificates and things she did voluntarily before she walked to Beca’s printer, trying to figure out how to scan the documents. She pressed a few buttons, her brow furrowing as she had no idea what she was doing. “Becs?” She called out sweetly.

“Yeah?” The other girl replied as she came back with a bowl of watermelon.

“Help my scan my certificates?” The redhead asked. “I don’t understand how your scanner works.”

“Sure.” Beca laughed. “Give me your binder.” 

Chloe did as told and the brunette got to work, scanning every certificate this binder had. “There you go. I saved the files in that folder labeled “Chloe”. So you can find it.”

“Thanks Becs.” The redhead smiled as she kissed her girlfriend’s cheek.

They worked together until Chloe had a full application, including everything she needed. “Online applications are so much work.” She groaned as she stared at the email she was about to send to Sam.

“Well, it’s also easier. Come on, send it. Let’s hope Sam will take you with all your awesome skills.” Beca smiled.

“Alright.” The redhead took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.” She pressed the send button. The notification that the email had been sent popped up and Chloe let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“I’m proud of you.” The brunette grinned as she showered her girlfriend in kisses.

The redhead squeaked as she tried to push Beca away, but had to laugh. She really hoped Sam would take her. It would be a new start. Scary, but new. 


	14. Soldiers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey, missed us? (; This chap is gonna get intense, I hope you're ready for it. TW for violence and domestic abuse.

Chloe sniffled softly into the tissue Dr. Martens had handed her. 

The brunette smiled at her. “It’s okay. Let it all out.” 

They had been talking about her relationship with Chicago when suddenly the redhead had broken down, crying embarrassedly into her hands. 

“I’m sorry.” The younger girl said softly, wiping her eyes.

Dr. Martens patted the redhead’s knee. “Don’t worry about it. So, there’s obviously still a lot of pain there.” 

Chloe nodded sadly. “It’s just...I don’t know. It almost feels like he’s died, you know? I miss him, but I also don’t. I miss the safety I had with him, and the jokes we made. But I wasn’t in love with him anymore, I think. Not for a long time. I just….it feels...so raw and new. Like an open wound.” 

“Have you talked to him since that night he left you?” The brunette opposite her asked softly.

“No. I haven’t seen or heard anything from him since.”  Chloe answered sadly, sniffling loudly.

Dr. Martens bit her lip. “Do you think it would be a good idea to reach out? Maybe he’s calmed down now and you can explain. Make up. Try to part as friends?” 

“I...don’t know.” Chloe replied, looking up. “It could be a good idea to let him know I’m okay.” 

“I think so too. If he cared about you, or still does, he’s probably worried.” The doctor replied with a timid smile. 

Chloe blinked her tears away as realisation dawned on her. Dr. Martens could be right. Chicago had no idea where she was. He probably assumed she went to Aubrey immediately and wanted to leave her alone. He couldn’t know that she spent those weeks in their house instead of with her friend. 

“Okay. I’ll try to reach out.“ She said with a soft smile.

 

Beca looked at Chloe nervously. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” She whispered as the redhead got out her phone. The girl in question nodded, biting her lip.“I mean...Dr. Martens probably knows what’s right for me. I should just text him. It’s no big deal.” 

The redhead had silently sat down at the kitchen table after she got home from her appointment. Beca was rather shocked to see her girlfriend come out of the therapist’s office with red eyes but she decided to let the younger girl decide when to talk instead of bugging her with questions. When Chloe finally explained what they talked about, the brunette had to admit she was a little worried. But she wanted to support her girlfriend so she bit her tongue. She squeezed the redhead’s shoulder as she stood behind her. “Okay. Go ahead. I’m here.”

Chloe nodded and opened up a chat thread with Chicago. She smiled sadly at their old messages and deleted them quickly before she started typing.

“Hey. It’s Chloe. Can we talk?” She read out before she sent it,  nervously looking at Beca, her eyes a little wide.

The brunette wanted to open her mouth to say something when, much to her surprise, Chloe’s phone chimed. “That...that was quick.” She mumbled.

The younger girl nodded and opened the message with shaking hands.

“Of course. Call me? X C” Beca read aloud over the redhead’s shoulder. “Ew, okay.” She whispered, which earned her a dirty look from her girlfriend. “I’m sorry. You should call him.” The brunette said, raising her hands in defense. 

Chloe nodded. “I’m scared. But I’ll do it. No more running away.” She bit her lip nervously, pressed dial and put the phone to her ear, her eyes a little wide. She flinched when Chicago picked up.

“Hey, Chlo.” She heard his voice rang out, which made her heart hurt.

She looked at Beca and took a deep breath. “Hey.” She said, barely above a whisper.

“What’s up? Are you okay?” Chicago asked softly.

“I’m okay. I think. You know.“ The redhead stuttered.

“Yeah.” She heard the man on the other line chuckle. “So...what did you want to talk about? There’s not much to say.” 

Chloe let out a breath. “I...I just wanted you to know...That I’m okay. I...I saw you cancelled the rent for the apartment and I just...I don’t know.” 

“How did you know? Did they send you a letter? I asked them specifically to only send it to our old address.”  The brunette man said, sounding confused.

“No….I...I was at our apartment when the letter got there. “ The redhead replied.

She heard Chicago hesitate. “What were you doing there?”

“I didn’t leave...when you left. I lived there for 3 more weeks until you cancelled the rent.” Chloe admitted, closing her eyes.

“Oh...Chloe...I’m sorry. I assumed you went to Aubrey.” Chicago sounded genuinely worried.

The redhead frowned. “No...She and Jesse went on a road trip. But I’m okay, I have somewhere to stay. “

Chicago cleared his throat. “Where are you?” His voice turned suspicious.

“I’m in LA.“ Chloe replied softly.

“With Aubrey?” The brunette man said a little louder than necessary. 

The redhead pinched the bridge of her nose. She could tell the truth. But if she told Chicago that she was staying over at Beca’s place, the girl she cheated on him with, it wouldn’t end well. She sighed. “Yes. With Aubrey.” 

What Chicago said next made both her and Beca’s eyes widen. “I want to see you. Can you come over to New York next weekend? I’ll pay for your ticket.” 

Chloe hesitated before answering. “I don’t know...if that’s a good idea.”

“I insist. I want to make things right with you. I want to talk. Face to face. Maybe...we can part as friends. It wasn’t right for me to leave and it wasn’t right for me to not check up on you. I’m sorry, Chloe.” The man replied, his voice breaking.

“Okay.“ Chloe replied, breathless.

“I’ll send you the details over email. See you next weekend, Chloe. I’m glad you called.” The brunette man said and Chloe could hear he was smiling. 

“Bye.” She whispered and heard him hang up.

 

“You are not going!” Beca spat angrily. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and a huge frown on her face. “Who knows what he’ll do! I’m not gonna let you go there alone!”

Chloe looked at her girlfriend sadly. “But… I want to close that chapter with him. I’ll have to, Beca.” 

The brunette’s face softened. “I know that, sweetie. But you can’t just go to New York alone. I’ll be so worried.” 

Chloe nodded. “I understand.” She furrowed her brow, thinking. “Why don’t you come along then?” She suggested after a while, getting up from her chair. “We can bring Theo too. To protect us.” 

Beca bit her lip. “Okay. Not that the turtle will be of much help. But that sounds reasonable. I can get us tickets. Khaled will pay for them.”

“Yay!” Chloe exclaimed and she wrapped her arms around the brunette’s neck. Beca hugged her girlfriend back, but her head was running wild, thinking of the many ways that this could go wrong.

 

Meanwhile, all the way over in New York, Chicago was scrolling through news articles on his tablet. He zoomed in on a picture of Chloe, taken right after she threw up on Beca and hers first date. His eyes narrowed as he browsed through the news articles. “Beca Mitchell spotted with new flame.” He read aloud, his fist clenched. 

 

Later that week, Beca, Chloe and Theo were in a taxi, traveling to the airport. The brunette man had gladly agreed to come with them to offer protection. He was sitting in the front seat, looking back at a nervous looking Beca. Chloe’s head was laying on her lap as the redhead was fast asleep. “Everything okay?” The brunette man asked sweetly. 

“Yeah. She didn’t sleep at all last night. I’m glad she’s catching up.” The brunette replied, stroking her fingers through her girlfriend’s red curls. 

Theo chuckled. “Wow. She’s that nervous?”

“She nearly died because of him, Theo. Of course she is.” Beca replied with a frown.

The man looked taken aback. “Right. I’m sorry.”

They arrived at the airport and the brunette had to wake Chloe up. The sleepy redhead followed them inside and after checking in, they boarded the plane. They sat in their seats and Beca smiled as she saw Chloe look outside the window, marvelling at the sky. She personally hated flying so she busied herself with putting on some music and trying to calm down. Theo smiled at her knowingly and looked around the plane.

Not much later, they were off. Beca groaned as she felt Chloe poke her shoulder. “Look how pretty!” The redhead said, pointing outside at the clouds. 

“They’re great.” The small brunette replied, not wanting to focus too much on the fact that they were flying above the clouds right now and what would happen if the motors suddenly stopped working. 

Thankfully for Beca, Chloe fell asleep not soon after and she was greeted with silence. 

 

The plane landed in New York 5 and a half hours later, and Beca wobbled off, the flight anxiety slowly fading. Chloe grabbed her hand and held it as they waited for their luggage. The brunette offered her a weak smile. In the distance they saw paparazzi standing around. “Shit.” Beca cursed. “Don’t let go of my hand and keep your mouth shut, alright?”

The redhead nodded, gulping as she looked at them with wide eyes.

They started their way through the crowd, questions being shouted at them from all sides. “Beca, what brings you to New York?” “Hey, Beca, is this your girlfriend?” “Smile for the camera!” “Is that Chloe, your college friend?” “When did you hook up?”

Beca ignored them as best as she could, dragging her girlfriend behind her who looked at the flashing lights rather terrified. “Hey Chloe, why are you so thin?” “Yeah, did you starve? Do you have anorexia?” A woman pushed herself between the pair, forcing the brunette to let go of the redhead’s hand. “Hey, that’s you right?” She shoved a picture into Chloe’s nose, showing the redhead throwing up. Chloe’s breath hitched as she stared at the picture. She felt a huge anger built up inside of her. 

“How dare you take a picture of me at such a moment!” She spit, which made the woman smile and grab her arm. “That’s just my job. Now tell me, do you have an eating disorder, Chloe?” 

The redhead’s eyes widened.“Fuck off!” She shouted and pushed the woman away.

“Oh crap.” Beca mumbled as she grabbed the redhead’s hand again, pulling her with her rather roughly.

They quickly made their way into a cab and told the taxi driver the address of their hotel before they leaned back in their seats. Chloe was staring blankly ahead.

“Hey, are you alright?” Beca asked softly.

“Fine.” The redhead replied shortly.

“Doesn’t seem like fine to me. Chlo, what did she show you?” The brunette asked carefully as she went to grab her girlfriend’s hand.

“Me throwing up at our date.” Chloe choked out before she let her tears fall.

“Shit.” Beca hugged her crying girlfriend tightly. “I’m sorry Chlo. I should’ve known the paps would follow my car.”

“But it wasn’t nice that you shoved the woman. Now she’s gonna victimize herself and you’re gonna be seen as a bad person.” Theo spoke up.

“Wow, you’re such a help buddy.” The brunette glared at him as she soothingly rubbed her girlfriend’s back who was crying more now.

“I’m sorry.” The redhead sobbed. “It was just so… personal.” 

“I know sweetie. But rule number 1, never talk back, no matter how personal it can sometimes get. And if you have to talk, keep your answers short.” Beca replied softly.

“And don’t worry, I’m gonna call Beca’s manager and we’ll fix this.” The brunette man smiled supportively.

“Thanks.” Chloe croaked out.

 

They arrived at their hotel and got into their respective rooms, Chloe and Beca of course sharing one, before they met up back in the lobby.

“Alright, how do we go about this?” Theo asked.

“Well, I’d suggest Chloe rings the bell. You and I will chill behind her and try to be civil. Depends on how Chicago will react. Maybe he’s gonna invite us in with open arms, maybe not. We gotta be prepared for everything.” Beca explained.

“This sounds so...stupid. What if he attacks us?” Chloe whispered.

“It probably is stupid. But we can always call 911. Alright?” The brunette reassured the redhead.

“And I have some karate skills, so I think I could fight against him until the cops arrive.” The brunette man nodded proudly. 

“You do know that you’re going against someone from the military right?” Beca giggled.

“Yeah, so? It’s a self defense sport, you can defend yourself against anyone. Well, that’s the plan anyways.” Theo shrugged. “I’ll be fine. I really don’t think that’s necessary though. During the USO tour Chicago and I actually kind of befriended each other when we sat at the bar. He was boasting about you Chloe, and I was moping about Beca.” He chuckled.

“Wow dude.” The brunette rolled her eyes. “Sorry for saying no.”

“It’s all good. That was five years ago.” The man grinned. “Well, I guess we have our plan now. Let’s go!”

“Your enthusiasm is kind of uplifting.” Chloe commented as they hailed a cab.

“You’re welcome.” Theo winked at the redhead with a big smile. 

“Dude, don’t flirt with my girlfriend.” Beca laughed.

 

During the cab ride, Chloe was clutching Beca’s hand like a lifeline. She looked absolutely terrified and the other girl looked at Theo for help. The brunette man just shrugged and started scrolling through his phone, obviously not bothered. 

“Chlo, it’ll be okay…” Beca spoke softly, squeezing the redhead’s hand.

Chloe just nodded, but the brunette was pretty sure she hadn’t even heard what she said.

They arrived at the address Chicago gave them not much later. A big, country style house greeted them, which made Beca whistle. “Well… If this is his new place, I know where all your savings went, Chlo.” 

The other girl smiled weakly as she stumbled out of the car. They paid the cab driver and he sped off.

“So….” Theo blew out a breath as they looked at the stairs leading up to the porch. 

Beca wanted to say something but Chloe interrupted her by clearing her throat. 

“I’m going in.” The redhead spoke softly and climbed the stairs, looking back anxiously at her two friends before ringing the doorbell. 

 

The door opened and Chicago greeted Chloe with a shy smile. “Hey.” He said, looking her up and down. “I’m glad you came.” 

The redhead smiled at him and nodded. “Thanks for inviting me.” She looked behind her, where Theo and Beca were standing, both looking away awkwardly. “Can… can we come in?” She asked nervously.

When Chicago noticed the pair behind Chloe, his eyes narrowed. “Sure….” He opened the door wider and they all stepped inside. When they arrived in the living room, the army boy mentioned for them to sit down. Theo sat down at the edge of the couch while the two girls nearly sat on top of each other. 

“No offense but why are those two here?” Chicago asked, looking over at Beca specifically.

“I… I brought them with me because…” Chloe started.

“Because we’re just checking that she comes back home in one piece.” Beca finished the sentence for her girlfriend.

“Did you assume I was going to hurt you?” The man’s eyes flashed with hurt.

“Well, you hurt me before you left...” The redhead whispered, thinking back to when he slapped her. 

“And then you left her to die.” The brunette girl glared.

“I… I didn’t know you were still living there.” Chicago admitted. “And…” He stopped himself as he truly looked at his ex fiance. “You’re… really thin…” He whispered.

“Yeah…” Chloe said awkwardly. “It’s been rough.” She chuckled weakly.

“But I don’t understand…” The brunette man grabbed the redhead’s hands which made Beca clench her jaw. “What do you mean with I left her to die?” He asked the brunette. Chloe slipped her hands out from Chicago’s grasp, folding them in her lap instead. 

“She starved.” Beca rolled her eyes. “She took all of this harder than you might have assumed.”

“Oh….” Chicago looked at Chloe. “Why didn’t you reach out? Why were you doing this to yourself?”

“It’s… I don’t know.” The redhead replied weakly, avoiding her ex fiance’s gaze. “But I’m fine now.”

“Are you?” The soldier cupped Chloe’s cheek which made Beca almost jump up, but Theo held her back, shooting her a warning look.

The redhead awkwardly lowered Chicago’s hand. “Yeah, Beca helped…” She replied before she could stop herself.

“I knew you weren’t at Aubrey’s!” The brunette man shouted, which made Chloe jump. She saw her ex fiance clenched his jaw as he stood up, towering over Beca. “Did you seriously think it was that easy?” He spat at the small girl.

“Woah dude. What’s gotten into you? You wanted to talk, act all mushy and now this?” The brunette chuckled.

“I knew Chloe wasn’t staying at Aubrey’s.” Chicago spat. He turned towards the redhead. “You goofed up by telling me she was on a road trip first. I doubt she’d let you stay there alone. Hell, she would’ve dragged you along. You were with Beca the entire time huh?” 

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Chloe replied weakly.

“Bullshit.” The man stepped dangerously close to his ex fiance. “I saw the news articles, Chloe.  _ Beca Mitchell’s new flame _ , huh?” 

The redhead’s eyes widened. She felt her breath hitch as Chicago looked at her, his face filled with hatred. 

“Whoa, dude, back off, okay?” Theo said, tugging on the other man’s arm. 

The brunette man pushed him away and grabbed Chloe’s arm, pushing her against the wall beside the couch. His eyes scanned her wrist, noticing the darkening scab on her hand, which still hadn’t healed and underneath that, on her wrist, a small thin scar. A small grin formed on his lips. “You tried… you tried to kill yourself?” He chuckled. “Wow Chlo. I expected much from you. But slicing your own wrists? That’s a new low.” 

That was the last straw for Beca. She lunged at the soldier, tackling him to the ground before delivering a punch to his face. “Don’t you ever dare to talk to Chloe like that!” She spat.

“You’re pathetic for believing she actually loves you!” Chicago laughed which earned him another punch. He heard a soft crack coming from his nose. “You hit harder than I would have expected.” He chuckled.

“Beca, stop.” Theo interrupted as he pulled the angry brunette from the soldier.

Chloe stared at the scene in front of her with wide eyes, unable to move due to the shock. Her back was still pressed against the wall.

“Hey Chicago where’s… Woah!” A guy appeared at the door. “Oh. The slut’s here. And she brought friends!” His eyes fell onto Chicago who was clutching his bloody nose. The soldier nodded at him. “Guys, showtime!” The man smirked evilly.

 

Suddenly, three other men appeared and Chicago motioned them to go for Theo and Beca, which they did. They punched the brunette man in the face, forcing him to let go of the brunette girl who happily kicked the first guy into his balls. He went down, clutching his crotch with a groan. Theo was displaying his karate skills, looking at the man in front of him with a challenging grin. “Come at me, bro.” He said, his hands up in a karate stance. His opponent smirked, punching the brunette man in the face so hard he fell to the floor, immediately knocked out. 

While all of this was happening, Chicago looked at Chloe with an evil smirk. “You’re using Beca. You’re so twisted.”

“What are you talking about?.” The redhead replied weakly, looking at her ex fiance terrified. “She is helping me because she wants to.”

“That’s what you made her believe.” The soldier lowered his hand, revealing a broken nose.

“No! I didn’t!” Chloe protested, lightly shoving Chicago away.

The brunette replied with pushing her against the wall again. “Whatcha trying to do? You’re weak and thin as a rake. I could just tip you over” He pushed the girl’s shoulder, making her waver. 

“Why are you being like this?” The redhead asked, tears threatening to fall.

“I wanted to talk, Chloe. I really did. I was ready to forgive your mistake and try to make this work again. But after our phone call, I started to get suspicious. I looked up your name and found all these news articles about you and Beca. That really hurt me, Chloe. I saw it all. Even those pictures of you throwing up. What, you’ve got anorexia now or something? Attention seeking bitch.” 

“I’m sorry.” Chloe choked out. “I just… I…” She was full on crying now and Chicago laughed.

“You’re so weak.” He grabbed the redhead’s hands, pushing them up above her head, pinning her against the wall. “I could literally do anything to you and you wouldn’t even try to fight it.”

Beca managed to fight her way through the other guys and saw the soldier pressing her girlfriend against the wall. She didn’t take long and tackled him again, wondering how she could do that so easily. However, before she knew it, her back hit the ground as Chicago pinned her down onto the floor.

“You stole my wife to be!” He shouted as he punched the brunette in the eye.

Beca yelped out in pain before one of her hands flew up to her eye. “You didn’t even talk to her! She felt so alone.... You can’t blame her for leaving and finding herself someone who treated her better!” She retorted and grabbed the man’s head. She jolted it down, smashing it against the floor. It took Chicago by surprise and the brunette successfully flipped them over so she was on top again. “Go rot in hell Chicaca.” She growled.

“Please...don’t hurt each other.” Chloe sobbed out as she slid down the wall weakly.

The soldier glared at the brunette on top of her and punched Beca into the gut, making the girl groan. “She’s never gonna let you touch her! Only I know how to!” He shouted.

“Dude, she literally came home covered in hickeys. I did her good.” The brunette girl retorted, gritting her teeth due to the pain in her stomach.

Chicago’s anger was fueled by that and he slapped Beca across the face with such force the sound rung through the whole room, making everybody stop and look at them. The brunette was sure she had gone deaf as her eyes were wide, staring at Chloe with shock. The soldier used that to his advantage and he kicked Beca off him, scrambling up. His foot immediately connected with the brunette’s stomach again and the girl cried out in pain as she curled up, clutching her stomach.

“Chicago! Please!” The redhead cried out. “Don’t hurt her!”

Chicago’s head whipped up. “You.” He strutted over to his ex fiance and grabbed her by her throat, lifting her up. “You’re such a fucking slut.” He slammed her against the wall, making her gasp. “Just because I’m not affectionate you look for it elsewhere.” His grip on Chloe’s throat tightened. 

The redhead gasped for air. “I’m sorry.” She choked out. 

“You fucking should be!” The soldier spat out. “You were never really in this were you? Answer me!” He shook the girl who was struggling to breathe.

“I….I loved you.” Chloe replied weakly. “I can’t b-breathe...” 

Beca managed to scramble up again, her stomach protesting, but she clenched her jaw as she slammed herself against Chicago again. The man’s legs buckled as he let go of the redhead, who gasped for air. “You’re gonna kill her, you fucking psycho!” The brunette spat out.

“Shut the fuck up you bitch!” The soldier whirled around and connected Beca’s face with his knee. The brunette groaned as she fell back onto the floor. Chloe tried to calm down her ex fiance but he just pushed her back against the wall with such force, something cracked in her chest. She felt the wind get knocked out of her and she gasped for air, her lungs not wanting to fill themselves. She struggled to breathe, desperately trying to get air into her body. Her legs buckled as she collapsed on the ground, clutching at her chest.Chicago didn’t pay attention to her as he was too busy to lift his leg to kick his foot against Beca’s head. Just then, the police barged into the house. “NYPD. Stop this, NOW!” He froze, lowering his leg.

“Sir, put your hands up!” A policeman instructed. When Chicago did as told, they immediately handcuffed him. The other four guys had fled the scene long before, but they still checked the house. “Get some paramedics in here!” One policeman shouted as his eyes fell onto a knocked out Theo and a groaning Beca who struggled to get up. What worried him the most was Chloe, who was curled up in a corner, clearly struggling to breathe.

 

The paramedics pushed their way through, two making their way to Chloe. “Ma’am, are you alright?” The woman asked. The redhead shook her head weakly and pointed to her chest. “Okay.” The woman nodded and grabbed a pair of scissors, cutting open Chloe’s shirt. She saw the redhead’s chest red and bruised. “Get a stretcher in here!” She ordered. “We’ll get you to the ambulance and there you’ll be able to breathe again okay?” She spoke softly to Chloe. She noticed how thin the girl was as well but that wasn’t their concern now. “Try to take a deep breath. “ She instructed, but it was no use. The redhead was way too panicked, hyperventilating from the shock. 

Another paramedic kneeled down next to Beca. “How bad does it hurt and where?” He asked as the brunette officially gave up trying to get up and slumped down on the floor. 

“I’m gonna ram my foot up your ass if you continue talking.” She replied through gritted teeth.

“Alright, you’re getting on the stretcher.” The paramedic stifled a laugh. He checked on Theo, who sat on the couch, still a little dazed.  Both girls were put onto stretchers and wheeled into two ambulances. “Wait where’s Chloe?” Beca asked the paramedic, looking around frantically for her girlfriend. “I need to see her. She’s probably scared as fuck!”

“Ma’am, your friend is in good hands. Please don’t worry. You will see her at the hospital okay?” The paramedic replied. “Your...friend is with her as well. He offered to calm her down.” 

The brunette huffed. “Fine.” She really hoped her girlfriend was holding up alright. She tried to calm down, but that only made her injuries hurt more. 

 

Both ambulances arrived at the hospital and the girls were wheeled into the ER. “Chloe!” Beca called out as her eyes fell onto the redhead. The other girl, who looked extremely pale, turned her head and weakly lifted her hand. “Hang in there okay?” She begged. She could see in how much pain the other girl was by the look on her face and she felt her heart hurt. When she got a small nod from her girlfriend, she turned her attention to the paramedics talking with the nurses.

“Yeah, her rib is definitely broken. You need to make a scan asap to see if the lung is punctured. She has trouble breathing after all.” One of the paramedics said. The nurse nodded and the redhead was being wheeled away.

Beca felt panic flare up in her stomach, staring after her girlfriend wide eyed. “I swear. If she dies tonight because of..” She trailed off, biting her busted open lip.

“Ma’am. Don’t worry. She’s in good hands. Now let’s get you treated.” The nurse spoke softly.

“You better put her into a room with me, you hear me?” The brunette glared.

“Alright. Now please calm down.” The nurse nodded.

 

Beca had gotten her lip stitched up. She was also scanned to check if her organs suffered any damage from Chicago’s kicks, but luckily for her, they were still intact. She had gotten some ice for her swollen eye and cheek. Her eardrum hadn’t suffered any damage, it was only ringing, which would fade away eventually. She was currently on painkillers which made her a little loopy but numbed the pain. They decided to keep her in case her brain had suffered any damage that they couldn’t make out yet. She stared at the hospital wall in front of her, grinning at it. “Hey there…” She tried to sound flirty, but it came out really dorky. “Here often?”

The door opened and Theo poked his head in. “Hey Beca.”

“Turtle!” The brunette grinned. “Where have you been?”

“Well, I got knocked out pretty quickly. So… I missed the action.” The man admitted as he sat down next to the girl. “You look really… rough.” 

“Thanks. Now I earned the masculinity title!” Beca smiled. “I can’t wait to show it to Chloe.”

“Yeah, she’s still… Well, her lung has not been punctured. Thankfully. But her rib is broken and that’s gonna suck.” Theo chuckled weakly.

Just then, the redhead got wheeled in. She was fast asleep, looking small and fragile in the hospital bed. “Chloeeeee!” Beca exclaimed excitedly, oblivious to the severity of the situation due to her medication.

“I apologize.” Theo smiled at the weirded out nurse. “She’s a little loopy.” 

The nurse nodded with a knowing smile. “Well, Miss Beale is going to be fine. She is underweight. That caused her rib to break more easily than it would usually take. Is there a health issue as to why she’s below average?”

The other man shrugged. “You have to ask Beca. She’s her girlfriend, so she knows more.”

“She starved herself.” The brunette nodded confidently. “But it’s aaaaaaall good. She’s seeing Dr. Martens in L.A. Good doc. Best one I’ve met.” 

“She’s dangerously underweight. We have to keep her here to make sure she’s okay.” The doctor said, mainly to Theo, who nodded. 

“But she has been eating.” Beca pouted. “I’ve been giving her lots of watermelon because she looooooves it.” 

“That might be, but we should still monitor her. Just for her own safety.” The doctor smiled patiently.

“Whatever.” The brunette leaned over to the man. “Can I tell you a secret?” She whispered.

“Sure…” Theo furrowed his brows.

“Your face actually looks like a seal.” Beca giggled.

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it.” The doctor chuckled awkwardly before leaving the room.

The other man looked at his friend, amused.“Beca, you have to rest now. Get better.”

“Okay dad.” The girl replied sweetly, turning around so she could face Chloe, who was sound asleep, her heart monitor beeping steadily. “She looks so tiny. Like a doll. Or a puppy.” Beca mumbled, making Theo chuckle.

Beca laughed as well, closing her eyes. “Goodnight puppy.” 


	15. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the absence! The past few days have been... Dunno, we were both busy or lazy. Anyways, enjoy some fluff. I think it's needed after the last chap.

Theo knocked on the hospital door, sticking his face around the corner. He was greeted by a smiling Beca, who was watching over a sleeping Chloe. 

“Hey weirdo.” The brunette man said with a grin, sitting down at the foot of her hospital bed. “How are you feeling?” He asked, studying her badly bruised face and black eye.

“I mean, I’ve definitely felt better. But I look cool as hell.” Beca replied, her voice a little raspy. “You look rough too, buddy.” She said as she eyed the bruise on Theo’s face.

Theo smiled at her and looked over to Chloe, who was sleeping silently. Her heart monitor beeped with every heartbeat. “Is she okay?” The man asked, looking worried.

“Yeah. They’re keeping her asleep for now. And the heart monitor is annoying the shit out of me.“ The small brunette replied, looking at her girlfriend lovingly. “But it’s nice to know that she’s still alive with every beep I hear.” 

“Has she woken up since we arrived here?” Theo asked, looking back at Beca. 

The girl shook her head sadly. “No. I hope she won’t be too upset when she does wake up. What happened there was… was horrible.”

“I still can’t believe Chicago tried to choke her. I didn’t expect him to be… so ruthless.” The brunette man replied, looking at the bruises forming around the redhead’s throat. “She wasn’t even trying to fight him.”

“If I ever see him again, he won’t be able to tell the tale.” Beca spat out, her eyes never leaving her girlfriend. 

Theo nodded and looked down. “Becs… I know this is a horrible time but I have to tell you something.” He whispered.

The brunette rolled her eyes. “Oh, please don’t ask me out again. You know I’m taken.” Her cracked lips formed a smile. 

The burnette man smiled, but his face turned serious. “I… I don’t know how to tell you this but… there are rumours. About Chloe. They’re not the good kind of rumours, Beca.” 

Beca closed her eyes. “Shit… it’s that reporter, isn’t it?” 

“It’s more than one reporter. I… I think they somehow got a hold of Chicago. There’s pictures, Becs.” Theo replied carefully.

“Show them to me.” The brunette answered, her jaw clenched. She grabbed onto the laptop Theo handed her, her eyes scanning the articles. “Fuck… fuck!” She slammed the keyboard angrily. 

“ _ Chloe Beale, Beca’s new girlfriend has anorexia. _ ” She read aloud. “ _ If we compare these old pictures with how she looks right now _ … bla bla bla.” The brunette clenched her fist angrily. “How did they even find these pictures of her?”

“It gets worse.” Theo softly said, clicking another article. 

Beca’s eyes widened. “Get me my phone. I need to call my agent. NOW!” 

 

After the brunette man had scrambled for her phone, Beca dialed her agent’s number, her hands shaking with fury.

When he picked up, she didn’t even let him say anything. “GET THESE FUCKING PICTURES DELETED!” She yelled, sitting upright in her hospital bed. “How dare they take pictures of us getting wheeled into an ambulance!” Her voice was dangerously low. “I don’t give a shit about how much money it’s gonna cost you! It’s not true! She broke her fucking rib and she looks so broken lying next to me! She didn’t even fight anyone!” 

Theo looked at Beca with wide eyes. 

“It was him, wasn’t it?” The brunette continued. “You do everything you can!” She hung up angrily, huffing.

“It was him. Chicago. The reporter Chloe yelled at found him and… oh my god. She’s not a violent person, Theo. How can they do this?” Beca’s voice broke as she looked at her sleeping girlfriend. She knew that Chloe was the most innocent person on earth. She wouldn’t even hurt a fly.

Theo looked over the article once more, shaking his head. The titles made him cringe. “ _ Beca Mitchell’s girlfriend cheats on fiance and gets into fistfight. _ ” “ _ Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale involved in domestic violence case.” “Chloe Beale assaults reporter at airport. _ ”

“It’s so fucking unfair!” Beca exclaimed. She felt trapped in her hospital bed.

Theo shushed her. “I know… we’ll fix this. I promise.” 

The brunette rolled her eyes. “But-” 

She was interrupted by a small moan coming from the hospital bed next to her as Chloe woke up. 

“B-Beca?” The redhead croaked softly, her eyes still closed. 

Theo and Beca looked at each other. “I’m here, honey.” The smaller girl softly said, wishing she could get out of her bed to smother the other girl in kisses.

Chloe tried to open her eyes, but they still felt too heavy. Her head was fuzzy and she felt a heavy weight on her chest. “W-What happened? Where are we?” She asked, barely above a whisper.

“We’re in the hospital, Chloe.” Theo softly explained, smiling at the redhead. “You’re fine and so is Beca. Thankfully.” 

“Oh.” The redhead replied, biting her lip. Suddenly, as if she was struck by lighting, the events of yesterday came back to her. She remembered Chicago’s hand around her wrist. His mean voice and horrible smirk. The sound of his fists hitting Beca’s face. She remembered his hands around her throat and it felt almost like she could still feel them as she choked back a small sob. 

“Oh no…” Beca said softly as she saw her girlfriend’s eyes fill with tears. “It’s okay honey. You’re safe now. He’s gone.” She cooed, wanting nothing more than to wrap the redhead up in her arms and never let go. 

“He… he…” The other girl softly sobbed, hiding her face in her hands. She felt a sharp sting in her chest and looked up, shocked. “Ow…”

 

Theo grunted as he got up and sat down on Chloe’s hospital bed. “Give me your hands.” He said softly to the crying redhead. She obeyed, slipping her hands into his. “You’re safe here. No one is going to hurt you or Beca. There’s security and cameras everywhere. Okay?” He smiled, softly squeezing her hands, careful to not press down too hard on the IV in her hand. 

“Okay.” The teary eyed girl replied, a little breathless. “I can’t breathe.” 

“You’ve broken your rib. They told me it’s gonna hurt when you breathe. But you need to breathe, okay? Count with me. Breathe in…..Breathe out.” 

They breathed together until the redhead calmed down. She was still sniffling softly, but her breathing had returned to normal. 

“I would give anything to get up and come over there.” They heard Beca’s voice from the other bed, which made both of them smile. 

Theo got up. “Hang on.” He pushed Beca’s bed closer to Chloe’s, so they were flush against each other. “Now it’s like a double bed.” The brunette man said, winking at both girls.

The brunette immediately wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, careful not to rip out anything on accident or to hurt the redhead before she planted her lips onto Chloe’s. “I missed you.” Beca sniffled softly.

“Your lip feels weird.” The redhead commented weakly, making the brunette grin.

“Well sorry it’s busted open and needed stitches!” She chuckled softly before kissing her girlfriend again repeatedly.

“Alright Becs I’m feeling better now. Thank you.” Chloe giggled softly as she pushed the other girl away. She coughed, which made her ribs hurt.

“Sorry.” Beca grinned sheepishly. “Just needed you to smile. Suits you better.”

The door opened and the doctor came in. “Ah, Miss Beale. You’re awake.” The man smiled as he walked over to her bed. “I’m sorry Miss Mitchell, but the beds have to be separated at all times.”

“Well sorry I wanted to greet my girlfriend properly.” The brunette huffed as Theo wheeled her back.

“How are you feeling, Miss Beale?” The doctor asked sweetly. He stood next to the redhead’s bed with a clipboard. 

“I’m...I don’t know. I feel really weird?” Chloe replied, looking up at him with big eyes, making him smile. 

“Do you have any pain?” He asked, taking a note on his clipboard

The girl nodded. “A little bit. Here.” She gently stroked her hands around her ribcage, wincing.

“Yeah. I’m going to give you some pain medication in a bit, okay? Your rib is going to be sore for a while, I’m afraid. “ The doctor replied, giving her a sympathetic smile. 

“Okay.” The redhead squeaked in reply, looking over at Beca with a sad smile. 

The doctor went to get some medicine for Chloe, leaving them alone again. 

“Does your face hurt?” The redhead asked softly as she looked over the brunette’s bruised face.

“A lil bit. But I get painkillers too. They’re great.” Beca replied with a huge grin. 

Chloe let out a long sigh. “I can’t believe… Chicago did what he did. I’m so sorry I pulled you two along in this.” She looked at her two friends with a sad face.

“Hey, I’m glad we were there. I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if you went there on your own.” Theo said, giving her a sweet smile. 

“Yeah. We’re glad you’re okay. We’re all okay. A little bruised, but okay.” Beca added, once again feeling the need to wrap her girlfriend up in a big hug. Especially when she looked at the bruises around her throat. 

 

Not much later, the doctor had come back, shooting the pain medication into Chloe’s IV bag. “You’ll feel a bit weird, but it’ll help with the pain.” He explained with a smile before leaving.

“Oh no, I hope she doesn’t get loopy too.” Theo groaned softly, which made all of them laugh. 

“Can we watch some TV?” The redhead asked sweetly after a while and the brunette man turned on the tv, handing Beca the remote before getting up. “I’m gonna get something to eat and make some phone calls. I’ll be back in a bit. Rest up, ladies.” He smiled sweetly before making his way out of the room, leaving the two girls alone for the first time since they arrived in the hospital. They watched TV in silence for a while, until Chloe looked at her girlfriend with big eyes. “I wish you could come back here again.” She whined, and the way her voice broke when she said it made Beca’s heart hurt. 

“Hold up.” She replied, throwing the duvet away from her and sitting up. She shuffled out of the bed, clutching her IV stand for support. Slowly but surely, she made her way over to Chloe’s bed, standing hunched over as her stomach and leg muscles protested. “Move up.” She groaned and got into the bed next to her girlfriend, who had been watching her with big eyes. “There, better?” She whispered as she carefully wrapped her arms around the redhead. 

Chloe smiled. “Yes.” She couldn’t believe her girlfriend sometimes. “The doctor told you we had to be separated at all times. “ 

The brunette chuckled in reply. “No, he said the BEDS had to be seperated at all times. He said nothing about the people in them.” They both giggled as they snuggled closer. 

After a while, Chloe couldn’t handle the silence anymore and spoke up. “I’m sorry he hurt you, Beca. It was so horrible to see you get hit like that. He was so ruthless….” She whispered softly. Her voice broke as she started crying.

Beca felt her heart break and she hugged her girlfriend closely to her chest, resting her chin on top of the other girl’s head.“Oh honey, it was all worth it. I don’t care how much he hurt me. What’s important to me is that you’re safe. And that you know that I would never hurt you...like he did.” She softly rubbed the redhead’s arm. “Let it all out. I know it was scary.” 

Chloe softly cried into Beca’s shoulder, seeing the images of Chicago’s foot kicking Beca and his hand’s close around her own throat. Her shoulder shook as she remember how hopeless she felt and how scared she had been for Beca’s safety. When she calmed down, she let out a long breath.

“I hope he has a black eye too.” She whispered angrily, which made Beca chuckle.

“Wow, getting aggressive here. Didn’t expect that from you. But, I’m pretty sure I broke his nose, so…” She replied, winking at her friend.

The redhead smiled. “I’m glad you were there with me… and Theo. Even though I have no idea what he did to help. I’m pretty sure he was knocked out immediately. “ 

“Yeah. Note taken: Don’t bring Theo to a fight. He’ll be useless.” Beca replied, laughing. 

 

They fell silent again, hearing the soft beeping of Chloe’s heart monitor, which made Beca groan. 

“That sound has been annoying the shit out of me all day. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to die, so you don’t even need it.” 

Chloe laughed. “It’s just mandatory. For patients with breathing problems, they always have to use one.” 

Beca smiled, kissing the redhead’s temple. “I wonder… how high I can get it.” She smirked, eyeing the redhead’s lips. 

“What do you-” Chloe started to reply but was cut short when the brunette pressed her lips onto hers quite aggressively.  “Hmmmm….” 

Beca’s hand travelled down to slip underneath the redhead’s hospital gown, making her girlfriend yelp. “Beca! We’re… people might come in!” She hissed, blushing. 

“That’s my plan.” The brunette answered, squeezing the redhead’s breast. Her lips travelled down her neck, softly biting down on her girlfriend’s skin. She heard the beeping of the heart monitor quicken and smirked, licking over the spot she had just bit down on. 

Chloe had a bright red blush on her face. “Becs….” She whimpered softly. The drugs made her feel all fuzzy and she couldn’t believe what Beca was doing to her, right here in a hospital bed where people might come in. It made her head swim. 

Meanwhile, the brunette nibbled softly on her girlfriend’s earlobe and squeezed her breast teasingly again, making the redhead squirm underneath her. Just when Beca was about to kiss her again, a door opened and they sprung apart. The brunette smiled at the angry looking nurse innocently. 

“I got a notification that her heart monitor was going up, so I came to check. Is everything okay?” He asked, looking at the flustered redhead. 

“Yeah… I’m f-fine.” She replied, trying to hide her blush.

The nurse looked over at Beca. “You should be in your own bed, Miss Mitchell.” 

“I know, I know.” The brunette rolled her eyes. “I’ll go back in sec.”

“Good.” The nurse replied and went off with a nod. 

“I hate you.” Chloe glared at her girlfriend.

“Love you too.” Beca replied before she froze. “Uhm.”

“Do you… do you mean that?” The redhead choked out.

“I mean...Yeah. I do.” The brunette admitted shyly. “But I think we’ve both known that for a while now didn’t we?”

“It’s just. So different to hear it now that you actually mean it.” Chloe replied.

“Wow, you make it sound like I didn’t actually love you before.” Beca huffed.

“No, no, it was always just on a platonic base. And now it’s on a romantic base and that’s just…” The taller girl trailed off, looking at her girlfriend with big eyes.

“Well, allow me to say it properly then. I. Love. You.” The other girl smiled.

The heart monitor quickened again and Chloe blushed. “I love you too.”

Beca giggled as she pressed another kiss onto her girlfriend’s lips. “Now I really have to go or else I’ll get kicked out.” She whispered.

The redhead frowned, but nodded. “Alright.”

She watched as Beca struggled to get back into her bed. When she draped the duvet over herself again, she let out a sigh. 

“You feeling loopy yet?” She asked the other girl with a grin.

Chloe bit her lip, thinking. “Dunno. I mean, you just… made me really horny so now I don’t really know what’s going anymore.”

“Aw, I’m sorry.” The brunette replied, smirking, which indicated that she wasn’t sorry at all.

“I’m also kind of tired though. It’s a weird combination.” The redhead said after a while, her voice sleepy. 

Beca smiled at her girlfriend adoringly. She looked really small in her bed, her cheeks still a little flushed. “You can sleep. You need to recover, sweetheart. I’ll watch over you.”

“Kay.” Chloe replied, shuffling down so her head was on the pillow. She yawned softly and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost immediately. 

“How do you fall asleep so quick?” The other girl wondered aloud, propping herself up on her elbow so she could look at her sleeping girlfriend better. A small smile formed on her lips. “Weirdo.”

 

Three days later, Beca was typing furiously on her keyboard while she sideyed a sleeping Chloe. She had been released from the hospital after they had found nothing at her second check up and deemed it safe for the brunette to leave, but she had stayed with her girlfriend for most of the time. The doctors wanted to keep an eye on the redhead because of her lowered immune system and how thin she was. She still had problems breathing too. If she had to be honest, Beca was kind of glad they took Chloe’s case so serious and were taking such good care of her. But it was really, really boring to stay in the hospital all the time, especially because Chloe slept a lot. Therefore, Beca had asked Theo to bring over her laptop on the second day. She could finally catch up on the emails she should have answered weeks ago. The brunette let out a sigh and looked over to the bed next to her, where Chloe was curled up, her lips slightly parted as she slept. A small flush was apparent on her cheeks and it made Beca smile. She already looked so much better than she had when they got here. The bruises on her throat had turned slightly green, but they were healing too. It still made Beca’s heart hurt whenever she looked at them.

She got up and left the room. She went to the smoking area and asked for a cigarette, which she got. The man in his thirties handed her a lighter and she lit it up, taking a long drag.

“What’s the reason you’re here?” The man asked as he stuffed the lighter back into his pocket. “In the hospital, I mean.”

“Got into a fight. Protected my girlfriend who somehow ended up having worse injuries than me. Not that bad, but a broken rib sure is no fun.” The brunette replied. She blew out the smoke and looked after it as it slowly vanished.

“Wow. You’re tough.” The man commented with a smile. “I’m Carl.” He stuck out his hand.

“Beca.” The smaller girl replied, shaking his hand. “Thanks again for the cig. Haven’t had the chance to really leave this place yet.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Carl smiled.

“So, you work here or do you also have someone in there?” The brunette asked curiously.

“Yeah I do. Work here. Nurse and all. But I like being out here. You encounter lots of different people. All have some life stories to tell, some crazy shit to say. Like, one dude was here because his friend got a glass bottle stuck in his ass.” The man laughed. “People are weird as fuck, and working at a hospital shows me how weird they can be.”

“Sounds interesting.” Beca smirked. “People are idiots. I mean, what person in their right mind holds a lit firecracker in their hand and doesn’t let go?”

“Well, they are mostly intoxicated in those cases, so that kind of makes them dumb. Intoxicated or high people can be really interesting.” Carl replied. He took a drag from his cigarette before he put it out.

“Well, have fun taking care of those weird people. You nurses are the backbone of these institutions.” The brunette mockingly saluted at the man with a wink.

“Yeah, have fun with your girlfriend. I hope you two stay together.” Carl smiled as he made his way into the hospital. “Bye!”

Beca waved and continued smoking, looking at the grey, cloudy sky above her. It felt good to smoke sometimes. It gave her some sense of relaxation, and she really needed to calm down. It has been a crazy week, and she sure hoped it wouldn’t get that dangerous for them anymore, ever. She took one long last drag before she put out her cigarette, blowing the smoke out rather slowly, looking after it with fascination. Then, she went back inside to join her probably still girlfriend in the hospital room.

Upon entering the hospital room, her laptop suddenly chimed with a notification. Chloe hadn’t logged out of her email account and she had just gotten an email. Beca walked over and glanced at the screen. The email was from Sam from Heart for Animals. She gasped. Could she tell the redhead about it? Chloe would surely get a heart attack. But she couldn’t let Sam wait. So she googled the number from the clinic and punched it into her phone. She left the room and waited for someone to pick up.

“Hello, Hearts for Animals, Alice Danvers speaking. How may I help you?” The woman on the other line spoke up.

“Hey, this is Beca Mitchell.” The brunette replied. “I’d like to talk to Sam Miller, if that’s possible.”

“Oh! Yeah, sure! I’ll connect you two.” Alice answered, a little giggly, obviously knowing who Beca was. The brunette cringed a little, but it wasn’t why she called.

“Sam Miller. How may I help you?” The woman on the other line asked.

“Hey, this is Beca Mitchell. I’m calling for my girlfriend, Chloe Beale. She applied for a job at your clinic.” The brunette started, playing with her fingers nervously.

“Oh, I didn’t accidentally kill her, did I?” Sam asked, shocked.

“What? No. Uhm, you see, we’re kind of in the hospital right now. Long story. Chloe’s fine, just recovering from her broken rib. I just saw that you replied, so I thought I should let you know.” Beca replied.

“Oh, that’s sweet of you. Yeah, of course that’s a bad time to come in for an interview.” The woman chuckled. “Well, I hope she gets well soon. Broken ribs take like three to six weeks to heal.” She smiled. “Just let her know that I’ll keep the spot open for her. She really interests me. Not in a creepy way. Just like… The kinda “I’m looking forward to working with you” way. Which is getting way more ahead than it should, but… Yeah.” Sam rambled.

The brunette chuckled. “Alright. Thanks for being so great about this. Also, maybe try to calm down your secretary. I didn’t hear much, but I think she died.” 

“Yeah, she’s a huge fan.” The woman laughed. “I’ll keep her in check. It makes sense now as to why Chloe is in contact with Demi. I was really confused because Demi had never mentioned her, but seeing that you’re Chloe’s girlfriend and best friends with Demi, it all adds up.”

“Yeah, well. We’re that awesome.” Beca laughed. “Okay, I gotta head back. Nice talking to you. You’re awes.”

“Thanks. You too. Have a good day.” Sam replied before hanging up. 

The brunette stashed her phone back into her pocket before she returned into the hospital room.

“Where were you?” Chloe spoke up, her voice cracking.

“I just… Made a call.” Beca replied, unable to hide her smile as she poured her girlfriend a glass of water.

“What… was the call about?” The redhead asked suspiciously, accepting the glass the brunette handed to her.

“Ah you know… Just your job opportunity, that’s all.” Beca smiled widely.

Chloe choked on her water before she spat it out, all over her girlfriend. “WHAT?!” She exclaimed.

The smaller girl wiped her face. “Ew. Yeah, I got a notification that Sam replied on my laptop so I decided to call her to let her know about our current situation. I haven’t read the email, I swear, but how Sam sounded I think she wants to see you. I just updated her on our situation. She was talking about an interview though...” 

“Woah.” The redhead leaned back in her bed, staring at her girlfriend wide eyed. “Wow.” She wasn’t able to form words. She had landed a job interview. She had gotten this far, even with her current problems going on. Before she knew it, she was crying. “Oh my god.”

Beca laughed a little at her girlfriend’s reaction. “Aw, don’t be so emotional about this. I knew you were going to get it.” She grinned as she wiped the other girl’s tears away.

“I got it!” Chloe whispered. She cupped the brunette’s face and yanked her forward to shower her with kisses. “You’re amazing! I’m amazing! We’re amazing!” She giggled.

Beca could just laugh. She was so extremely proud of her girlfriend and felt her heart fill with so much love and warmth when she looked at the girl in front of her. 

“I’m proud of you.” She said softly, kissing the redhead once more, who blushed. 

Beca blinked at her. “So, what do you wanna do today? We can watch more reality tv...or...watch more cooking shows.“ 

“Cooking shows!” The redhead chimed, patting the spot next to her. The brunette gladly curled up next to her, wrapping her arms around the taller girl’s shoulders. 

“How’s your rib feeling?” Beca asked as she turned on the tv, flicking through the channels.

Chloe took a deep breath, testing it out. “A little sore. But the painkillers work like a charm.“ 

“I’m glad. And you’re getting back a little colour in your face as well.” The brunette replied, squeezing her girlfriend’s cheek which made both of them giggle.

However, the redhead’s smile faded soon enough. “I hope I won’t be here too long. I miss sleeping in a bed with you. And doing fun stuff. It’s boring here.” 

The other girl smiled at her sympathetically. “I know, honey. But you’ve gotta get a little stronger. Then I’m sure they’ll release you. Okay?” 

Chloe nodded sadly. “Okay.”

“Let’s watch some amazing food being cooked now, alright? I’ll cook you all of these things when we get home.” Beca promised, pressing her a kiss onto her girlfriend’s temple, who nodded silently. 

 

Later that evening, the brunette watched over Chloe as she slept soundlessly. It was nearly dinner time and she had to wake her up soon. But not yet. 

Her head whipped up when she heard a knock at the door. Theo entered with a grin, handing her the bar of chocolate she had asked for. 

“Thanks, Theo.” The smaller girl shot him a thankful smile.

“No problem.” He smiled back, but then his face turned serious. “There’s….There’s something I need to tell you. There’s someone here for you...and for Chloe.” He said, crossing his arms awkwardly while he looked at the sleeping redhead.

Beca rolled her eyes. “Oh...god. Please don’t tell me it’s a fan. The hospital security was asked to keep them out.” 

“It’s….It’s not a fan. It’s Chicago. He says he wants to talk. I...He looks very sorry, Becs.” 

The brunette gasped and before Theo could stop her, she stormed out, angrily searching for the man that had hurt them. Her eyes landed on Chicago and she strutted over to him, grabbing him by his wrist before she dragged him into the next bathroom. “What kind of nerve do you have to show up here?” She shouted as she glared at him hatefully, poking him into his chest.

“Look, I know I shouldn’t be here…” The soldier started.

“Hell yeah you shouldn’t!” Beca interrupted. “Chloe’s gonna have a heart attack if she sees you!”

“I know but… I just…” Chicago squirmed awkwardly under the brunette’s murderous glare. “I wanted to apologize.” He whispered.

“Oh yeah, just walk in there and be like “Oh hey girls, sorry I hurt you. Oh Chloe, I totally didn’t mean to break your rib or whatever or to literally choke you, but oops, that happened.”. Nice plan buddy.” Beca spat.

“She broke her rib?” Chicago’s eyes widened in horror.

The smaller girl let out a sigh. “No, you broke her rib.” Her eyes roamed across his face, cautiously.

“Look….We both hurt the other.” The brunette man replied. “I mean, you and me. Look at this.” He motioned to his bandaged and taped nose and his black eye.

“You did worse.” The brunette glared, motioning at her face. “I got my organs checked cause you decided to kick me in my stomach! And the worst? You hurt Chloe even though she didn’t even do anything! You just sprung at the opportunity.” She took a deep breath.

Chicago nodded and cast his eyes down. “I know. I….I’m sorry.” 

Beca relaxed her clenched jaw. “Look, I know I might be being a little too hard on you. I’m just cautious because I don’t want Chloe to get hurt. Or me, for that matter. Why the sudden change of mind?” She asked, crossing her arms.

“Well, when the cops came and arrested me, I got snapped out of my anger. I had the time in my prison cell to think about it. I love Chloe, more than any girl I’ve ever loved. Seeing you, how you two ended up together and how happy Chloe looked, it hurt me. Because I wanted to be the one who made her feel like that, but I let that slip away.” Chicago sighed. “I was jealous, angry and hurt. Does it justify my actions? No. But I want to make it right. I stepped out of line and it took the prison cell and the punishment of the judges to make me realize that I was living in a shell. I let my friends cloud my mind. Like god, I know it’s wrong to make sexist jokes and allow them to call Chloe a slut. She’s the sweetest girl I’ve ever met.”

“Very touching, but get to the point.” Beca interrupted, rolling her eyes..

“Yeah, sorry.” The soldier chuckled weakly. “I don’t think Chloe will ever forgive me, but I want to try. And I want to apologize to you as well. You were just trying to protect your girlfriend, and I got angry at that. I’m not the violent type, but I guess I was wrong about that. I’m taking anger management classes now. To help me deal with this newfound side of me. And… I cut ties with those friends. They’re not good people to be around.”

The brunette sighed. “Look, Chicago. I really appreciate you coming here to make things right. But… Some things just can’t be fixed. You can’t just say sorry and expect everything to be okay again.” She glanced around the room. “I don’t really care, if you want me to forgive you, I’ll gladly give that to you. No hard feelings. You made a stupid mistake at a stupid time. I’m just worried about Chloe. I don’t want her to have a panic attack because she thinks you’re going to hurt her again.”

“I know, and I get that. Can’t you at least… Ask her if she wants to talk to me? It’d mean the world to me. Let her decide. Please.” Chicago begged, his eyes looking at the girl with sincerity.

The smaller girl bit her lip, thinking. After a while, she nodded. “Fine. I’ll ask her. But you stay out of sight, got it?” She glared, and the brunette nodded thankfully. 

 

Beca left the bathroom and walked back into the hospital room, Theo looking at her with scared eyes. “Relax, he’s still alive.” She chuckled before stepping next to the hospital bed. “Hey Chlo.” She whispered. “Wake up.” 

The redhead strirred and awoke slowly.“What is it?” She asked tiredly. “Is it time for dinner?”

“Not yet. But… There’s something that has come up.” Beca sighed as she grabbed the redhead’s hand.

The other girl looked at her with scared eyes. “Is something wrong? Did something bad happen?” She asked.

“No, I’m fine. It’s… we got a visitor.” The brunette started. “He wants to talk to you.”

“Who… who is it?” Chloe asked, her voice almost gone.

“It’s Chicago.” Beca confessed, her heart breaking at the redhead’s panic in her face.

“What… What is he doing here? He has to go!” The taller girl replied. “Did he hurt you?”

“Chloe, listen to me. Please. Look at me.” The brunette begged, cupping her girlfriend’s face. “I already talked to him. I wouldn’t have told you this if I wouldn’t think we should give him a shot. Chlo, he seems really sorry. Just… hear him out?”

“No! Look what he did to you, to me!” Chloe protested. “How could you even let him walk without hurting him again?” She spat.

“Woah, hey. I just hit him because I was protecting you.” Beca defended herself. “This isn’t like you. You’re not violent. You don’t condone violence.”

“In some cases I do, Beca.” The redhead simply replied. She was obviously very upset, her eyes watering.

The brunette sighed. “Look. He wants to apologize. Give him a shot. Sure, I’m also not a fan of the fact that he’s here, but I still gave him a chance. You should, too.” She looked at her girlfriend with soft eyes.

Chloe glared at the other girl until her eyes softened and she sighed. “Okay fine. But I want him gone when I request it.”

Beca nodded before she motioned Theo to get Chicago. They came back in and the redhead glared at him. “Chicago.” She said coldly.

“Hey.” He replied softly. He threw Beca a thankful look before he sat down in a chair not too close to Chloe’s bed. “I know I have no business showing up. But I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try to make things right. And I know I probably can’t, but I want to at least try. I’m really sorry. I feel disgusting that… I even laid my hands on you like that. Especially when you haven’t done anything. It was right of you to bring Beca and Theo with you.” The soldier clenched his jaw, looking onto the floor. “I hate it that this had to end so dramatically. You and I both know that I’m not a violent guy, but this even proved us wrong. I’m taking anger management classes now, to try and deal with this in the best way I can. Although I’ll probably never let it show again. Though, what happened once, can happen again, right?” He chuckled weakly. “I’m just so sorry Chloe. Not only for what happened a few days prior, but also what I did to you ever since we got engaged. I knew I should have talked. It never occured to me how affected you could be. And I’m not mad at you for being with Beca. You found someone who treats you the way you should be treated. Who won’t abandon you. And it wasn’t right of me to not check up on you after I stormed out. I feel so awful for all of it. I knew how fragile you were. I knew how easily hurt you can be. And I… I just ignored it and took you for granted.”

Chloe had her jaw clenched, listening to what Chicago was rambling about intently. She didn’t let any emotion show on her face, so it remained a mystery to the others what she was feeling or thinking. “I… I appreciate what you’re trying to do. But… You don’t know how much it sucks to close my eyes sometimes and just feel your hands around my throat. Or see Beca on the ground, broken, hurt, writhing in pain. You may be a good guy, and I know that you’re sincerely sorry, but… this just sits. It… It hurts. More and deeper than you could ever imagine.” She confessed, playing with Beca’s hand for support. “But. It doesn’t mean that… That I won’t forgive you. I don’t forgive you what you’ve done, not for now at least. I just think that this needs time. We both need time to recover, to think about it. I think I can see us being something like acquaintances in the future, but now I just want to focus on recovering. I don’t want to see you or hear from you.” The redhead nodded at herself. “I hope you respect my decision.”

“I… I do. This is already more than I had hoped for.” Chicago smiled softly. “I’m glad that I could… Reach you I guess. You have an awesome girlfriend. Keep her around.”

“Thanks.” Beca replied and Chloe tried to smile. 

“I’ll get going. Thank you again for giving me the chance to talk. I’ll forever be grateful.” The soldier continued as he got up. “You know my number. When you feel ready, give me a call. I’ll be waiting. If you change your mind, I understand.” He took a deep breath. “Goodbye Chloe. Beca, Theo.” He nodded at them before he left the room.

“How are you feeling?” Beca immediately asked.

“I’ve been better.” Chloe replied weakly. Her eyes glazed over a little. “But… I guess I do kind of feel relieved? Like a little weight has been lifted off my chest.”

“That’s good.” The brunette smiled softly. “But let’s focus on you getting better now. And for that, you need to eat.” She patted her girlfriend’s leg.

“Okay.” The redhead replied softly.

Theo smiled at them. The pair was surely interesting to no end, and he felt honored to witness some of the action first hand. He wanted to make sure they would stay together forever.


	16. Musical love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Britt: So. Hi. First of all, I’m so, so sorry if we gave any of you the wrong impression. I just want to make it clear to you that Chloe does NOT forgive Chicago for what he did. Beca’s reaction might have seemed weird, and we agree with you. It’s my fault Beca reacted milder. Seli (who is in charge of Beca) wrote her to be much more angry. I just...I just wanted there to no fighting but I guess that’s impossible to avoid, sometimes. I guess. I’m sorry.  
> We should have explained all of this much clearer. I’m really sorry if we made it seem like domestic abuse like this is not a big deal, BECAUSE IT IS!!!! And I realise that.  
> People make mistakes. We made a mistake. And we apologize for that. I hope this chapter helps a little and I hope that you don’t hate me for being dumb and uncultured about this. If you have any other questions, hit up my twitter. @scrappylilgay
> 
> Seli: Hey guys. We read your comments (obviously). We do understand that domestic violence shouldn’t be treated lightly. What Chicago did was unacceptable. However, it sounded like some of you believed that Bechloe forgave him or didn’t press charges because they like him. This isn’t the case. Plus, it’ll make sense as to why they didn’t act on anything. Just read below. Please know that we don’t condone violence and if you know somebody who is going through domestic abuse right now, or if you’re struggling with it yourself, please seek out professional help.   
> For the sake of this story we didn’t want to make Chicago entirely bad. We liked him in the movie, he is basically Jesse. Hated on because he snagged away one half of our favorite pairing. But we’re not letting our hatred for the straightness cloud our judgement. He’s a nice guy, and it pained us to let him have this side. He’ll come around. We have something more planned for him, so he’ll stick around. If you disagree with that, we’re sorry, but there’s nothing we can do about that. We have this story thought out, and we want it to happen that way, even though we already made some changes that differ from the rp we got going on.  
> For those of you who thought Beca reacted weirdly about Chicago showing up in the hospital: I (Seli, in charge of being Beca) had Beca react much worse than what ended up in the fic. Britt wanted it to be more mild. Which is understandable.  
> We’re just… really sorry some of you got affected by the last chapter so much. Please read this chapter. We hope it clears up some stuff and helps you understand things better. If you’re still not happy with it, let us know. Tell us what we could do to make it more enjoyable for you.

“You got everything, babes?” Beca asked, looking at Chloe adoringly. She was wearing some of Theo’s clothes and she looked extremely cute in his giant sweatpants and hoodie. 

The redhead shot her a smile. “Yeah!” 

After a week, it was finally time for them to leave the hospital and both girls couldn’t be more excited. The brunette stuck out her elbow and the other girl snaked her arm through it. “Let’s go then.”

“Okay. Bye hospital bed!” Chloe waved at the bed dorkily before they exited the room, which made Beca giggle. They met Theo in the waiting room, who shot the two girls a smile. 

“How’re you feeling, Chloe?”  He asked, looking at how the girl was leaning on Beca for support.

The redhead winced at him. “A little worse for wear. My rib is making it really hard to stand up straight. Or like, breathe.” She chuckled breathlessly.

“Well...breathing is very important so…you gotta keep doing it, okay?” The brunette man replied awkwardly. 

The red haired girl giggled. “Thanks, Theo.”

Beca beamed at the pair, laughing at their antics. They helped Chloe check out at the desk and took the elevator down. She heaved up the bag she was carrying with a sigh. She didn’t expect it to weigh this much, but she wouldn’t allow the redhead to carry her own bag. 

Theo looked at her with an amused smile. “You okay, Becs?” 

“I’m fine. Shut up.“ The brunette glared at him. She looked over at Chloe, whose smile grew wider with every step they took towards the exit. She looked absolutely adorable and Beca was so extremely glad that she was finally allowed to leave this horrible hospital behind. She wrapped her arm around the redhead’s shoulder as they waited for the cab to take them to the airport. 

 

After landing in LA, they decided to eat something at the airport as Beca and Theo kept snapping at each other because they were so extremely hungry. 

“I seriously think you imagined the entire thing! I did not flirt with you, not even once!” Beca snarled, looking at Theo angrily. 

“Well, you walked into me all the time. You were everywhere I looked and you even followed me to that Khaled party!” The brunette man replied, crossing his arms defensively.

“I just wanted to make a good impression on your so you’d let the Bellas win!” The smaller girl replied, throwing her hands up in the air frustratedly. She wanted to say something more but she was interrupted by Chloe, who let out an excited squeal when she spotted something. The brunette followed her line of sight. A tired looking clown was handing out balloons and Beca rolled her eyes when she felt her girlfriend pull her along to get one. The clown raised his eyebrows, obviously amused at the excited looking redhead in front of him.

“What color you want?” His voice let them know he was definitely too old to work as a clown.

“I want a yellow one, please!” Chloe chirped and the clown tied it around her thin wrist with a smile. 

“There you go, darling. Have a nice day.” The old clown winked at her. 

As they walked into McDonalds to get some food, Beca let out a giggle. “I think he was flirting with you, Chlo.”

The redhead laughed. “Well, he was very hot. Maybe a little too old though.” She shook her wrist softly, making the balloon dance.

“I can’t believe you got a balloon. That’s so inconvenient in the car. And while we’re in a restaurant!” The brunette rolled her eyes, chuckling as Chloe accidentally hit an annoyed looking woman in the face with the yellow balloon.  

 

Theo dropped them off at home and gave them both a tight hug before leaving to catch up on some well deserved sleep. Beca thanked him and turned around to see Chloe waiting eagerly for her, the balloon tied around her wrist bobbing in the wind. 

“I think they switched up some hospital beds. I thought I was going home with my girlfriend but I accidentally brought home a five year old.” The brunette mumbled as she unlocked the front door.

Chloe pouted. “You’re mean.” 

“But you love me. “ The smaller girl retorted, opening the front door and whipping her arm through the air. “Entrar, my lady.” 

The redhead grinned at her and stepped inside, letting out a happy sigh. “I’m so glad we’re home. “

Beca shut the door behind her with a loud bang and beamed at her girlfriend. 

“Me too, Chlo, me too.” 

 

Later that evening, they were snuggled up on the couch, watching TV. Chloe played with the string of her balloon, which was still tied around her wrist. A small red line started to appear around her wrist, as the string was a little too tight.

“You know you have to take that off when we go to bed, right?” Beca smirked at her girlfriend.

“But...he’s my friend. “ The redhead replied with a pout.

The other girl giggled. “Oh...well... your friend will have to sleep on the couch. “ She looked up at the balloon, that was bobbing with the moving of Chloe’s hands. “Hang on. I’ve got a plan.” She shuffled away from the redhead’s embrace and went towards the kitchen to get a pair of scissors and a Sharpie. She hid them behind her back and looked at her girlfriend innocently. 

“Present your wrist, please.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes in suspicion but did what she was told, holding out her wrist. However, when Beca revealed the scissors from behind her back, she yelped, stumbling back onto the couch.

“No! Please don’t pop it!” She cried out as if Beca had just threatened to kill her first born baby. 

“I’m not popping it, weirdo. It’s too tight around your wrist and you need to go to bed soon.” The other girl chuckled, grabbing the redhead’s wrist again. She hooked the scissors into the string and cut it, grabbing the balloon so it wouldn’t float up to the ceiling out of their reach. 

“Oh….” Chloe replied, smiling sheepishly. 

“Don’t freak out so easily. I’m not that mean. “ The brunette giggled as she propped the balloon up on her knee as she got out the sharpie. She drew a silly face on it, presenting it to her girlfriend. “Now he’s really a friend.” She had even given the balloon a little moustache. 

“Oh my god, I love him!” The redhead exclaimed, taking it from Beca. She tugged on the string, making the balloon dance. 

“Tie him to the remote. He won’t float up that way. And he’ll chill on the couch.” The brunette rolled her eyes at her girlfriend’s antics.

“Alright. That’s acceptable.” Chloe shrugged and she grabbed the remote, tying the string around it. She let the remote rest on the couch and smiled as the balloon bobbed in the air. 

They both watched it in silence for a while before Beca spoke up. “Ready for bed, weirdo?” 

“Ya.” The taller girl replied, yawning. 

The brunette giggled. “I see that.” She pulled the redhead along towards the bedroom, turning off the lights in the process. Soon enough, they were cuddled up close together and Beca could hear that Chloe had already dropped off to sleep before she could even say goodnight. She giggled silently and closed her eyes as well, dropping off to sleep not much later.

 

After a few hours of sleeping, Beca woke up again, groaning as her bladder made itself known. She had to chuckle as she saw Chloe’s red hair splayed over her stomach. The redhead’s limbs appeared to be tangled with her and she let out a huff. Wriggling out of her girlfriend’s grasp, she tiredly went towards the bathroom. She looked up at the ceiling, blinking into the darkness while she peed. After flushing the toilet, she smacked her lips as they were kind of dry. “Need a drink, need a drink.” She croaked and she made her way down the hallway towards the kitchen. When she walked past the living room, she stopped dead in her tracks. She squinted into the darkness and her eyes widened. There was someone there. Just behind the couch, she could make out a rather tall figure hovering over the table. Her blood ran cold. She should go back to the bedroom and get the baseball bat that she always hid underneath their bed, but she might wake up Chloe and attract the attacker. She didn’t want to put her girlfriend in danger, so she tried to calm her breathing as she shuffled towards the kitchen, grabbing a knife from the counter and squeezing it in her hand. She rounded the living room, silently approaching the burglar from behind. When she realised the person hadn’t moved at all since she had spotted them, she narrowed her eyes. Staring through the dark living room, knife raised and her hands shaking, realisation washed over her. “Oh my god.” She whispered, mentally hitting herself. She dashed forward, grabbing the balloon floating in the air angrily and digging her nails into it. “Are you fucking serious?” She giggled at herself. Obviously, she had mistaken the balloon floating in the air for a person. She shook her head, putting the knife down on the table beside the couch, a huge grin plastered over her face. “Fucking Chloe.” She giggled.  After dropping the balloon down, she headed back to their bedroom and snuggled up to her girlfriend tiredly, wrapping her up tightly in her arms. She fell asleep almost instantly. 

 

The next day, Chloe was sprawled out on the couch. Her rib stung with every move she made and honestly, she was struggling. Beca had disappeared into her studio a few hours ago, grumbling about how much work she had to catch up on. It was boring without her. The redhead turned on the TV and absent mindedly watched the screen while playing with the strings of her hoodie. After a while, she had almost dropped off to sleep when her phone, which was laying on the armrest of the couch, rang loudly. She let out a snort and scrambled to grab it, picking up without looking who it was. “Chloe Beale speaking.” She said sleepily. 

“Chloe. Hey. It’s me.” Chicago spoke up, which made the redhead freeze.

She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “Why are you calling me? I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t contact us anymore. In return for us not pressing charges.” 

She heard the brunette on the other side sigh. “I know that Chloe. I’m just...I’m just calling to tell you something. You won’t be seeing me anymore. No one will. I’m...I’ve turned myself in.” 

“What!? Why?” The redhead sat up in alarm. 

Chicago’s voice sounded oddly soft when he answered. “It wasn’t right. I appreciate that you didn’t press charges. I know you’ll never forgive me, but the fact that you still considered my future as a soldier by not going to the police...meant more to me than you'll ever know. But...it’s not right. I...I’m so sorry for what I did to you. To Beca. I don’t know what’s wrong with me and I’m trying to work on myself, but I’m going to do it while doing time. In prison.”

Chloe’s mouth opened and closed a few times.

“You’re….you’re going to prison?” She whispered. “For what?” 

The brunette’s voice became uneven. “I’ve been charged with domestic violence, Chloe. In particular, spousal abuse. It’s written under penal code 273.5, if you want to read it. I just...I just wanted to let you know. I’m surrendering tomorrow.”

“For how long?” The redhead asked, her voice breaking.

“At least a year. It depends on how it goes. I’ll be okay, Chloe. You...just take care of yourself, okay? And take care of Beca.“ Chicago hung up and Chloe stared at her phone, her eyes wide. “Beca!!!” She called out, a soft sob escaping her throat.

Beca ran into the living room in seconds, looking at the redhead with worry. “What’s wrong?!” She asked, panicked.

“Chicago called.” Chloe choked out.

“What did he do?!” The brunette asked, dropping down next to her girlfriend. “Did he threaten you?”

“No, he… he turned himself in.” The redhead whispered. “He told me that he’s being charged for… spousal abuse. And… That he’ll be in prison for at least a year.” She explained softly, trying to process the call.

“Holy fuck!” Beca looked at her girlfriend, eyes wide. “That’s… Holy shit.” She looked at the other girl in disbelief. “And he just called you to inform you of that?” 

“Yeah.” Chloe nodded. “I can’t fucking believe it myself! He was also thanking us for not pressing charges and that he understands that we’ll probably never forgive him, but he knew he did something wrong and just… couldn’t walk around without being punished for what he did.” She looked down sadly. “He… he is gonna spend a year or more in prison, Becs. He will probably be shanked and beaten and his lunch will probably be stolen or ruined, and he’ll take that punishment. He just… He’ll…” She trailed off, full on crying now.

The brunette hugged her girlfriend, mindful of her rib, and rubbed her back. She was impressed. She knew she was right not to punch the living shit out of him back at the hospital. “I’m… I’m glad that he came to his senses. I mean, yeah, I get it, we should have pressed charges, because that was unacceptable, but… Shit. I don’t know. Why do I feel like he’s… brave for doing that?” She shook her head. “I… I think it’s really the right thing for him to be in prison now. Even if a year is probably not enough, it’s… something.” 

Chloe blinked, her eyes teary. “You really think he deserves to be in prison?”

“Yes. He hurt you. He hurt me. He acted out of anger and could have more damage than just a few bruises and a broken rib. You do realise that right?” The brunette looked at her girlfriend a little worriedly, who shook her head. 

“Everybody makes mistakes.” She whispered.

Beca let her eyes roam over the other girls face, looking for a trace of uncertainty, but there was none.

“So….when someone accidentally murders someone because they are angry one time, you think they should just be forgiven?” She asked carefully.

The redhead’s face scrunched up in confusion. “No...I...he just...he’s not like that, Beca. I know he isn’t. He’s a good person. His heart is good.”

The smaller girl grabbed Chloe’s hands and squeezed them. “Chloe Beale, you are too good for this world. When you said you didn’t want to press charges, I respected your wishes. But Chicago going to prison, that’s a good thing, okay? Believe me. It’s better this way. I know you see the best in people and want to believe everyone can be turned around, but...That’s just not how the world works.  So please, don’t be upset. It’s a really good thing that he will be punished for what he did.” 

Chloe nodded and looked down. “Okay. I’ll...I’ll try to think of it as a good thing. “ She sniffled softly and Beca smiled, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. “I love you, okay?”

The redhead smiled and closed her eyes. “I love you too.”

 

After a few weeks had passed, the girl had picked up where they left off as if nothing happened. Chloe was recovering nicely, and Beca had started producing a new album. She had already decided to record a few songs she had written over the past five years, wanting to share it with her fanbase. Both girls were also really happy. Ever since they said their “I love you”s to each other, they seem to have grown closer. Everything seemed to have become more loving, more gentle. They even went on a few more dates, the brunette always insisting on paying. Lately, things had also been getting more heated. Both girls could sense that they were slowly craving more intimacy. Beca was never the one to make a move however. Even if she had groped the redhead’s breast in the hospital didn’t mean she would just go at it now. Chloe was still recovering, she respected that. And, added to that, she had also gotten her period, which made the thought of having sex with the redhead even more impossible. As of now, Beca was working in her studio, furiously mixing songs together, a set of headphones propped up on her head. Chloe had been busying herself with reading several books during her recovery and Beca was glad the redhead found something to do, so it made her feel less horrible for working so much. As the brunette watched the clock and noticed it was lunchtime, she stretched her hands up above her head, letting out a yawn. She made her way out of her messy studio, strutting over to the living room, where she found her girlfriend sleeping soundlessly, a book prepped up on her stomach. The brunette smiled softly and sat down next to Chloe, the couch dipping underneath her weight. 

“Hey, sleeping beauty. It’s lunch time.” She whispered softly, squeezing the redhead’s shoulder.

“Hmmm…” The other girl’s eyes fluttered open and she looked at Beca a little sleepily. “What?”

The brunette let out a soft giggle and got up again. “It’s time to eat!” She held out her hand for Chloe to take and pulled her up from the couch. The redhead stumbled a little as she got to her feet, so Beca steadied her. “What do you want for lunch?” She asked her girlfriend.

Chloe frowned and looked away. “I don’t care. You choose.” 

“Hey, hey, that’s not how it works, remember. We eat what YOU like.” The brunette gave her a warning look. 

“Fine. I guess some cereal is okay. Or….toast?” The taller girl replied, her eyes narrowing a little.

Beca nodded and a soft smile played at her lips. “Toast it is. Take a seat.” She motioned for the redhead to sit down as they arrived in the kitchen. While Chloe sat down, huffing a little, the brunette started preparing lunch for them. When she was done, she plopped a plate down in front of her girlfriend and took her own plate with her so she could sit next to the redhead.

“So. You fell asleep again, huh?” She said while she took a bite of her toast.

Chloe bit her lip and nodded. She had not yet touched her food or even looked at it. “I’m just...I’m a little bored, I guess.” 

“I get it. I wish I had more stuff to do, but I guess I’m just easily amused.” Beca replied with a grin. She tapped her chin, thinking, when suddenly she had an idea. “Hey, how about I give you guitar lessons? You told me before that you’re jealous of my mad guitar skills.” 

The redhead’s eyes lit up with excitement and she even sat up a little straighter. “Oh my god! Beca, I’d love that!” She exclaimed, looking at the brunette with a huge smile plastered on her face, which made the other girl laugh.

“Alright, but first, you finish your toast. Food, then fun.” 

The smile on Chloe’s face faded into a pout and she looked at her plate, swallowing heavily. “Alright….”

Beca watched as the redhead grabbed her toast and took a huge bite, chewing rather aggressively. She giggled and ate her own food, stealing occasional glances to check how her girlfriend was doing. Not before long, both of them had finished their meals and the brunette nodded proudly. “Alright. Good job. Come with me, please.” She got up, dropping her plate in the sink and waited for the redhead to do the same.

 

Beca led Chloe over to her studio, where she motioned for her to sit down. As the redhead did so, she handed her a guitar. As the taller girl held the guitar in her hands, looking at it rather intimidated, she let out a soft chuckle. “It’s not gonna hurt you. At least, not a lot. Your fingers might get a little sore. But you’ll be getting used to it and they will get more flexible.” She explained, mentally slapping herself for the slight sexual undertone in what she said. 

“Okay….so…You hold it like this?” The redhead propped the guitar up on her knee, mirroring what she had Beca seen do countless times.

The brunette nodded approvingly.“Yes, that’s good. Relax your hands and try to play with the strings a little. Test the waters.” 

Chloe strummed the guitar a little awkwardly and too rough. Beca chuckled softly, grabbing the redhead’s hands. “Soft and gentle. No need to use force.” She guided the other girl’s hand and helped her strum the strings a little more gently, the guitar humming in response. “See, just like that.”

Chloe blushed lightly. “Yeah, okay.” She repeated it a few times, growing more confident.

The brunette nodded. “See, you’re getting the hang of this! Now, you surely want to play some chords, make music, right? That’s what you use your other hand for. Hold down the strings so it creates different tunes. The capo that’s attached on the fretboard is necessary for guitar players. It holds down the strings too so the guitar sounds completely different.” Beca held up the red capo that she had laying around. “But we’ll get to that later. First, I’m gonna teach you some simple chords. Okay?” 

“Okay.” The redhead swallowed heavily, trying to remember all of it. She watched as Beca got out a piece of paper, drawing 6 straight lines on it with a ruler. “These are your strings. They each have names, when you play them open, as we call it. They’re called E, A, D, G, B, E. The first E is a low one, the last one is high.” The brunette explained as she wrote down the respective string name next to each line. “ Now you’re probably thinking: there’s no way you can remember all these strings, and that’s what I thought when I started too. Eventually, I decided to come up with a silly saying to help me remember the names of the strings: Eat All Day, Go to Bed Early. ”

Chloe looked at her girlfriend with raised eyebrows, but she saw that the brunette was dead serious.

“Eat All Day, Go to Bed Early?” She repeated, looking down at the strings and playing each of them individually. 

The other girl smirked and nodded. “Great. So. When you play a chord, you press down on the string with your finger at certain places, thus creating a different sound. You see these squares? We call them frets. So, for example. When you play an A major, you press down the D, G and B string on the second fret. “

“Uh…” The redhead looked down at her fingers, trying very hard to remember the string names. 

Beca laughed and helped her, pressing her three fingers down in their respective places.

“Okay, now. Because this is an A, you don’t use the first string. So, you skip that one and only play the last 5 strings. “

The other girl did what Beca said, strumming her fingers over the strings carefully and creating a soft sound from the guitar.

“Okay, you need to be a little rougher with it. Otherwise it won’t make any noise. Wait, I’ve got an idea.” The brunette giggled and got up to get something. She handed Chloe a small round rainbow coloured piece of plastic. 

“What’s this?” The redhead said, looking at it confusedly.

Beca let out a chuckle. “That’s a guitar pick. You use it to play the strings instead of using your fingers. Just try it. You’ll hear the difference.” 

The other girl nodded and let the plastic run over the strings. Immediately, the sound produced from the guitar was much clearer and louder. “Woa.” She played the A major a couple of times, wincing when the guitar made a weird sound.

The brunette smiled. “Yes. That happens when you don’t press the strings down right. Or when your fingers are touching the strings where they shouldn’t. Don’t worry though, you’ll get it down. I’m going to write some chords down for you and we’ll go through each of them. “

 

After Beca had written down some chords, including a D, E major and A minor and they went through all of them several times, Chloe smiled at her girlfriend. “I can’t believe I’m playing guitar!” She said, looking down at her hands excitedly. When she pulled her fingers away from the strings, she winced a little as her fingers stung painfully. She looked at them and saw a small groove had a appeared on each fingertip. “Ouch.” She whispered.

Beca smiled sympathetically.“Ouch, yeah. That happens at first. Eventually, your fingers will get used to it. But, come here.” She grabbed the redhead’s fingers and pressed a soft kiss onto each finger tip, making Chloe blush furiously.

“Thanks.” The redhead whispered breathlessly. She lowered her hand again and hugged the guitar close to her chest. 

“I guess we’re done for today. Here are the chords I taught you. Study them well, or I’ll get mad!” Beca smiled evilly at her girlfriend. 

“Oh no!” The redhead replied, appearing shocked.

The brunette grinned as she pecked her girlfriend’s lips. “So, how about we tell Sam you’re ready to go to that job interview? I mean, your rib has been healing well.”

Chloe’s smile vanished as she remembered she was supposed to be getting a job. “Oh, yeah, right. Do you think the spot will still be open?”

“Of course. I think Sam would’ve called us if that wasn’t the case, so… I think she’s waiting for you.” The smaller girl smiled supportively. “Should I call her or do you want to do it?”

“Hold my hand while I do it?” Chloe asked shyly.

“Of course, anything for you babe.” Beca extended her hand while she handed her phone over as well.

The redhead took it and selected the contact before dialing it. She squeezed her girlfriend’s hand tightly.

“Hearts for Animals, this is Alice Danvers speaking. How may I help you?” Alice greeted her.

“Uhm… hi, this is Chloe Beale. Sam is waiting to do a job interview with me, and I am ready now.” Chloe replied shyly.

“Ah yes, I’ll forward you. Please hold.” The woman on the other line smiled and soon, Sam’s voice rang through the speaker. “Sam Miller. How may I help you?”

“Hey, this is Chloe Beale.” The redhead spoke up.

“Ah, Chloe! I was wondering if you had abandoned me. But I guess a rib needs its time to heal.”

The other girl smiled. “Yes. I’m sorry it took so long.” 

“No worries! Are you feeling better?” Sam replied.

Chloe bit her lip nervously. “Yeah. That’s why I called. If you’re still interested, I’d love to see you. Like...for the job. Not...just see you.” The redhead pinched her eyes close awkwardly.

The woman chuckled. “I’m glad you’re back on track. If you want, you could come in at 10:30 tomorrow?”

“Oh, yeah, no problem! I’d love to.” Chloe replied, a small smile tugging on her lips. Beca squeezed her girlfriend’s hand supportively.

“Alright cool, I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. Tomorrow. Right. Goodbye, Sam.” The redhead breathed out.

“Bye!” The woman on the other line hung up. Chloe lowered her phone, taking a deep breath.

“So, how did it go?” The brunette asked curiously.

“Tomorrow, 10:30.” The taller girl replied, her eyes focusing on her girlfriend.

“Yes!” Beca grinned as she hugged the redhead tightly. “I’m so happy for you. I knew you could do it! Your charm totally did it.”

Chloe ducked her head, smiling in embarrassment. “I made it sound like I was asking her out.”

“Well, you’re taken, she knows that.” Beca smirked. “So, how about we get cozy and rewatch The Little Mermaid and eat some watermelon snacks, yeah?” The brunette suggested. “To celebrate.”

The redhead gasped before nodding excitedly. “I’m so in!”

 

Halfway through the movie, Beca had begun annoying Chloe with nibbles and kisses to her shoulder and neck, eventually winning. She was currently straddling her girlfriend’s lap, her arms wrapped around her neck as they were kissing passionately. She could feel the redhead’s hands wandering up and down her sides, getting a little daring when her thumbs trailed over the bottom of the brunette’s breasts. She whimpered softly into Chloe’s mouth, to which the other girl responded with a hum. Her hands wandered down however, coming to rest on Beca’s butt. She squeezed it softly before pulling the brunette closer, making Beca grind against her slightly. Both girls made a noise of surprise as they pulled away, looking into each other’s eyes shyly.

“Becs…” The redhead whispered softly. She wanted to explain to her girlfriend how bad she wanted her, but somehow was at loss for words.

The other girl understood however and shook her head. “Chlo, we can’t...I...you know we can’t. I’m on my period.”

“But…” Chloe pouted before huffing. “This sucks.”

“I know. Trust me, I’d really take it further. But, with less blood.” Beca whispered. “When it’s over I’m all yours, okay?”

The redhead frowned before she gently pushed the brunette off. “We should head to bed. It’s getting late.”

Beca nodded and got up, shutting off the TV before joining her girlfriend in bed. “You’re not mad at me?” She whispered softly.

“No. Just disappointed. But I understand. We will get there when the time’s right.” Chloe smiled softly before pecking her girlfriend’s lips. “I love you and I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”

“I love you too.” The brunette grinned. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” The redhead yawned. They fell asleep together, curled up in each other’s arms.


	17. A Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellow! Sorry for the inconsistent updates, I'm (Seli) about to have my finals over the course of the next two weeks, so.. Fingers crossed! We'll post again on May 12th, promise. :D Enjoy the new chapter!

Chloe let out a soft annoyed moan as the sound of an alarm woke her up. She let her arm glide through the soft satin sheets, trying to find the source of the loud sound. Her hand bumped into Beca’s side and the brunette in question let out a soft yelp. “Oof, sorry.” The redhead replied sleepily, rolling over her girlfriend so she could turn the alarm off. Her chest was pressed into the other girl’s face.

“What the hell are you doing?” Beca whispered groggily, pushing the redhead away. “Your alarm is on your side of the bed, not mine.” 

The other girl frowned confusedly. “Oh…” 

“You’re so weird.” The brunette laughed as she rolled over Chloe and turned off the alarm. 

As she was about to roll back, she felt the redhead’s hands on her hips, stilling her.“Chlo…” She whispered.

“Just…stay there.” The other girl replied as she let her hand glide underneath the brunette’s graphic tee. Her fingers brushed against her girlfriend’s breasts, relishing at the feeling of the soft skin underneath her fingertips.

Beca took in a sharp breath and closed her eyes. Chloe’s hands sent electric sensations through her skin and she felt arousal already pool in her stomach. “Chlo, please. You know we can’t. This will only make it worse.” She felt the redhead’s fingers glide over her breast and let out a shaky breath as she gently squeezed it. Her hands felt warm against her skin.

“I know...I just...I want you so bad, Becs.” The other girl purred into her ear, which made another shot of arousal go through the brunette’s abdomen, setting it on fire. Releasing a soft breath, she carefully pushed her girlfriend away and bit her lip.

“I’m so sorry Chlo. I know you do. And so do I. But...I can’t.” 

Chloe furrowed her brow and looked up. Her eyes were big and pleading. “Why not? It’s just blood.” 

Beca let out a long sigh, her eyes locking with her girlfriend’s to make sure she understood her next words. “I really don’t feel comfortable with it, okay? I hope you’ll respect that.” 

The redhead nodded and retracted her hand. “I’m going to take a shower, okay?” She whispered, kissing her girlfriend’s temple. “I’m sorry.” 

Beca nodded sadly. “It’s okay. I’ll make you breakfast.” 

 

Chloe had made her way over to the bathroom to take a shower. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Beca was making some pancakes for the redhead, flipping them skillfully. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way her girlfriend had touched her, sending numbing waves of need through her skin. The arousal still dully ached in her abdomen. Getting lost in thought, she let the pancake sit in the pan for too long and it burned. “Shit!” She cursed as she removed the pan from the fire quickly. The pancake had blackened and unsaveable. Sadly, she dropped it into the trash, shaking her head. “I’m gonna set the fucking house on fire and it’s all your fault, Chloe Beale.” She snickered, thinking of her girlfriend who was still in the shower. 

The girl in question was washing her hair, humming a non existent song. Her hands ran over her stomach and breasts, rinsing off the soap. Suddenly, she was struck with an image coming into her head. Instead of her own hands, she imagined Beca’s hands roaming all over her body. She let out a soft breath as the imaginary hands slipped between her legs. The redhead shook her head, clearing it. But instead of getting rid of the images flashing through her mind, they only became stronger. Chloe let out a frustrated groan and closed her eyes, letting her imagination take over. Her hands clutched at her chest and she let out a soft moan. Looking up, she took the shower head out of its holder and tested out the water. Leaning her forehead again the fogged up glass of the shower, she let the showerhead disappear between her legs. She let out a soft breath as she felt the immediate pleasure washing through her. With her free hand, she massaged her breast as she closed her eyes. 

 

Beca plopped down the plate filled with pancakes on the breakfast table, putting another plate over it so they would stay warm. Checking the clock, she bit her lip. Chloe had been in the shower for quite some time now. She decided to check if everything was okay and made her way over to their bedroom. She was about to knock on the bathroom door when a soft moan coming from inside made her stop dead in her tracks. Instead of knocking, she put her ear against it to listen. The unmistakable sound of her girlfriend’s moans rang through the door and Beca felt a bright blush appear on her cheeks. She stood there, frozen, listening intently. Her thoughts ran wild and images of what the redhead was doing right now in the shower flashed through her mind. The brunette bit her lip and swallowed heavily. She heard the sounds become more strained and after one particular loud moan, the sounds died away. Beca realized what happened and moved away from the door, still a little flustered. She rubbed her legs together as arousal had pooled in her abdomen once more. It suddenly struck her that her girlfriend would come out of the shower soon and might see her creeping about, so she quickly made her way back to the kitchen, the blush never leaving her cheeks.

After flying over the edge, Chloe leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily while the warm water from the shower streamed over her head and back. When she had calmed down, she turned the shower off and stepped out of it, quickly drying off with the towel she had put down before she entered the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror with a shy grin. Her cheeks were flushed red and her damp hair framed her face. After she was completely dry, she pulled her hair into the towel, twisting it and tying it up on top of her head. She slipped into a bathrobe, deciding she would eat breakfast first and then get dressed. She bit her lip nervously as she thought about what the day would bring. She had her job interview today and even though she felt really nervous, she was also kind of excited. Sam sounded like a wonderful person on the phone and Chloe was sure she was just as lovely in real life. The redhead was really looking forward to seeing the clinic and maybe even seeing some animals again. She smiled at herself in the mirror before stepping on the scale, as she did every day. Her smile widened when she saw she had gained a little more weight again. She jotted down the time and date in the notebook lying on the side of the bathtub, writing her weight next to it and closing it with a snap. After hanging up the towel on the side of the bath and brushing her hair, she made her way over to the kitchen to join her girlfriend for breakfast.

When Chloe arrived in the kitchen, she saw the huge pile of pancakes. “Wow!” The redhead exclaimed with a smile, letting her eyes roam around the dinner table. “This looks great, Becs!”

The brunette turned around, her phone in her hand. “Well, thanks! Grab a plate and dig in!” She replied with a grin.

“You’re so good to me. Making me pancakes for breakfast. God, I love you.” The other girl whispered as she strutted over to her girlfriend and wrapped her arms around her. Burying her nose into the other girl’s neck, she let out a content sigh.

Beca blushed furiously as she smelled Chloe’s hair and remembered what the redhead was doing not too long ago. “I love you too…” She mumbled softly. “You…have a nice shower?”

“Oh yeah, it was great!” The taller girl replied as she pulled away, totally oblivious. “I love showering in the morning. Wakes me right up.” She sat down at the dinner table and looked at Beca with a soft smile.

The brunette averted her gaze and bit her lip. “I bet…” She smirked.

Chloe was too busy piling pancakes onto her plate to notice and Beca shook her head, taking a seat opposite of her girlfriend. “You nervous?” She asked as she helped herself to a serving of pancakes as well.

The redhead nodded, her mouth full. “A lil’ bit. But I’m also excited to get to work again. I’ve been out of the game for a while now and my body is aching to do some good. Helping animals is so rewarding and I’ve really missed that.”

“I bet you’re gonna get the job as soon as you walk through the door.” Beca said with a grin. She was so extremely proud of the girl sitting across from her, so much that it felt that her heart might burst.

“I hope so! God, I hope Sam is just as nice as she was on the phone. “ Chloe whispered nervously, her eyes big, which made the brunette chuckle.

“She sounded really great. I bet you’re gonna be awesome working together. A good team.” She winked at Chloe.

The other girl nodded excitedly. “I also can’t wait to meet Alice. She sounded fun!”

Beca took a bite of her pancake and chewed, swallowing it before speaking up. “You want me to come along inside? I know I was supposed to drop you off but I kind of feel like checking the place out. See if it’s safe and all. Is that okay?”

“I’d actually prefer if you come with me. So that is totally okay. Obviously you can’t come inside for the actual job interview, but it would be a lot less horrifying if you wait with me and stuff.” The redhead replied, looking into her girlfriend’s eyes a little nervously.

The smaller girl smiled and reached across the table to squeeze her girlfriend’s hand. “Then that’s a deal. I bet that Alice girl is going to freak out. Sam told me she was a big fan.”

“It’s so weird that people know who you are, I still can’t get used to it!” Chloe exclaimed, her eyes wide.

Beca laughed. “Same here. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re famous. Now finish your food. It’s already nearing nine and you still have to get dressed.”

Chloe pressed her face up to the window, looking outside. “You think that’s it?” She asked nervously.

“I can’t see, your face is in the way.” The brunette replied with a chuckle.

The redhead moved and Beca squinted into the sunlight, her eyes roaming over the small building they were parked next to. “It seems to be it. It’s rather small though, don’t you think?”

The other girl shrugged. “Let’s just ask. “ She unbuckled her seat and opened the car door, slipping out of her seat. The brunette chuckled and followed her girlfriend out of the car. They walked towards the front door of the building together, Chloe shyly hiding behind the brunette as she rang the doorbell.

“Hello, how can I help you?” A voice rang through the intercom.

Beca cleared her throat. “Chloe Beale is here for her job interview.”

“Ohmy-“ The intercom cut off and the two girls looked at each other in confusion.

“I’m sorry. I’ll ring you in.” The voice, which now sounded a lot higher than it originally did, replied and not much later, they heard a buzzing noise. Beca pushed against the door and it opened, allowing them to enter. They came into a small hallway where a few coats were hung up. As they entered through the second door, a bell rang out loudly, making Chloe jump. Beca snickered and looked around. They had entered what seemed to be the waiting room, as several chairs were lined up against a wall. On the other side of the room, a counter was set up. As soon as the brunette let her eyes wander over to it, the woman with brown hair sitting behind it let out a yelp and her head disappeared out of view. She was obviously trying to hide behind the desk and Beca raised her eyebrows before she pulled her girlfriend along to it, leaning her arm on the counter. “Uhm….hello?”

The woman’s head popped up so quickly she actually hit it against the top of her desk. She smiled apologetically while rubbing her head.

“I’m sorry. I dropped my pen.” She said softly.

Beca smiled kindly at her. “Your pen is on your desk.” She commented.

The other woman’s eyes widened. “Oh, silly me!” She exclaimed, panic evident in her voice. She turned towards Chloe, who was standing slightly behind Beca. “I’m assuming you’re Chloe?”

“Y-Yeah.” The redhead nodded and stepped forward. “I’m her. Chloe, I mean.”

“Hi! I’m Alice. We spoke on the phone, I think.” The brunette held out her hand. “I’m the secretary here. I take care of everything, basically. Without me, this clinic would be a mess.”

Chloe shook her hand and smiled awkwardly. “Right…” She noticed Alice was eyeing Beca nervously and then she remembered what Sam had said. She let out a soft chuckle.

“I’m going to call Sam now. You can…sit down in the waiting area. “ The brunette said softly, motioning comically towards the line of chairs.

“Thanks, Alice.” The redhead smiled and felt Beca pull her along towards a chair as they sat down together.

As soon as Alice was out of earshot, Chloe let out a soft giggle. “She hit her head so hard. I had to try really hard not to laugh.”  She whispered.

“Oh my god! Chloe! What if she got hurt?” Beca replied, but she felt a smile tug at her lips. “She freaked out as soon as she realized it was me, huh?”

The other girl chuckled. “It was kinda cute though. You should try talking to her while I’m being interviewed.”

“And give her a heart attack? That wouldn’t be a good first impression for you.” The brunette replied with a smirk.

Chloe shook her head, laughing. “I guess not.”

They fell silent and Beca smiled as she felt the redhead’s fingers intertwine with hers. “You okay?” She asked softly.

The taller girl nodded and bit her lip. “This looks like a pretty great place, Becs. I’d love to work here.”

“Well, you’re going to ace that job interview and before you know it, you’ll be here all the time. Right?” The brunette squeezed her girlfriend’s hands supportively.

Chloe nodded. She didn’t seem all that convinced, though. “Right.”

While she played with the other girl’s hands, Beca let her gaze run through the room. Her eyes fell onto several posters and she studied them for a while. The redhead followed her gaze and together they looked at the posters, pointing out the ones they liked.

“Chloe? Sam is ready for you.” Alice’s voice rang out and they both looked up.

Chloe got up and straightened her skirt nervously. “Okay!” She called out, a little louder than necessary, which made Beca chuckle. “You’re gonna do great. And I’m right here, if things go wrong. “ She whispered, her eyes locking with the redhead’s.

“Okay.” The other girl nodded and she made her way over to Alice’s counter.

The brunette smiled kindly at her. “Right. What you wanna do is go straight through that hallway and then take the second door to your left. That’s Sam’s office. You might wanna knock first. Good luck!”

“Thanks…” Chloe replied, a little breathless. She shot Beca one last nervous look and smiled as the brunette gave her a thumbs up. As she followed the hallway like Alice had said, she stopped in front of the door which was supposed to be Sam’s office. After taking a deep breath, wincing as her broken rib made itself known, she knocked on the door softly.

“Come in!” A voice rang out from inside of the room and Chloe entered, closing the door behind her carefully.

She turned around and her eyes met with bright green ones. A rather tall, blonde woman was sat behind the desk, her blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. She looked much younger than Chloe expected her to be. The redhead cleared her throat nervously as Sam smiled at her, motioning for her to sit down.

“So, finally we meet. Face to face. How’s your rib?” The blonde asked, eyeing Chloe up and down curiously.

“It’s okay. It only hurts when I make sudden movements or take in deep breaths.” The other girl replied with a timid smile.

“I’m glad you’re doing better. I got a little worried when I received your girlfriend’s phone call. I was scared I’d have to find a new candidate to be my co-owner.“ Sam winked at her.

Chloe blushed and looked down at her lap. “I’m sorry if I made you worry. I’m okay now.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you still wanted to come in.” The other woman smiled sympathetically. “So, tell me about yourself.”

The redhead frowned. “Okay...well. I’m Chloe. I..uhm. Originally, I’m from Portland. I went to college in  Atlanta just like Beca did. And then I went to vet school. I graduated a few years ago.”

“Okay.” Sam nodded and wrote down the information. “I’m taking it you live in LA now?” She asked with a smile.

“Yes. I live with Beca. It’s like a 15 minute car ride to here.” The other girl replied, looking down shyly.

“Alright, that’s not that bad. Have you got a driver’s license?” Sam looked at Chloe intently, who shook her head. “Nope…Is that a bad thing?”

The blonde laughed. “No, That’s fine. It’s just for administration purposes.”

“Oh, okay.” The redhead let out a relieved sigh. 

Sam smiled and cleared her throat. Her eyes flicked up, locking with Chloe’s. “What made you want to be a vet, Chloe?” She leaned forward a little as she looked intently at the other girl.

“That’s actually kind of an embarrassing story. “ The redhead said, blushing.

“Those are my favorite. Shoot.” Sam replied with a smirk.

“Okay...well. I actually decided that I wanted to be a vet when I was nine years old. I was walking to school one day when I heard a weird sound coming from the bushes next to the sidewalk. Inside there, I found a small white cat. She must have been only a few months old... she was so small. She wasn't hurt or anything. Just lost, I think. I took her to school that day. Hid her in my backpack. None of the teachers saw and I took her home after school. My mom immediately noticed something was up and I showed her the cat, which I had named Snowball…” Chloe smiled as Sam snickered. “I know, it’s not very original. We took her to the vet and got her checked up. I looked around the office, big eyed. It was so cool! I felt something weird in my heart while we were there. Like...I felt like I’d found my calling, you know? Anyway, Snowball wasn’t microchipped, so we decided to take her home while we waited for an owner to call the vet or the shelter. Surely, someone would miss a pretty lady like her, right? We posted flyers and asked around, but no one knew her. “ The redhead looked down at her hands. “Snowball’s owner never showed up. “ The redhead smiled. “We had her for 8 years.” 

Sam’s face had brightened up and she smiled sweetly at Chloe. “That’s...That might have been the sweetest thing I have ever heard.” She admitted. 

The redhead smiled and blushed. “After we got the conformation that Snowball was ours, I told my mom I wanted to be a vet. Save animals like Snowball. You know? It’s different. People can tell you where it hurts. Animals can’t. But they get hurt too. And need help.” 

The blonde across from her nodded with a smile. “They do. And with that mindset, I think you’re the perfect candidate to help me run this place. You seem like a very sweet and caring person, and your heart is definitely in the right place. But I also need to know that you’re good with taking care of my animals. I mean, your story was great and all, but I kind of need you need to show me. So, if you’d come with me, please.” Sam got up and walked towards the door, looking back at Chloe, who shot her a very confused look as she followed her out.

 

While Sam and Chloe were talking, Beca enjoyed the nervous glances Alice kept sending her. “If I wasn’t famous I’d be worried you’re thinking of asking me out.” She chuckled and the redhead replied with a yelp, ducking her head in embarassment. “It’s chill. You want a photo?”

“Yes.”Alice squeaked out, slowly getting out her phone.

“Alright, make room for me.” The brunette said as she squeezed behind the desk next to the other woman, posing for a few selfies. “You should caption these photos with “It’s not every day that your idol shows up at work”.” She laughed.

“I’ll think about it.” Alice replied, smiling softly. “It’s just so cool. Like, what did I do to deserve you being the girlfriend of a possible worker in our clinic?”

“Well, it’s against all odds for sure. But, so are a lot of other things that have happened in my life.” Beca shrugged. “If Sam really ends up taking Chloe, you better lose your fangirl attitude though. Cause maybe we’re gonna hang out in the future and I don’t need you to freak out all the time.” Her voice made it clear she was joking, but it also implied it was a serious request.

“Yeah, of course.” The redhead nodded. “I understand. It’s just… The initial shock and the awesomeness.”

“You’ll discover that I’m fairly boring. I don’t even know why Chloe likes hanging out with me.” The brunette grinned.

“Don’t you like… Live together though? You’re kind of forced to hang out that way.” Alice retorted with a smirk.

“Ouch dude.” Beca laughed. “Nah, I know she loves me. And I love her. What more do you need?”

“A nice glass of Whiskey.” The redhead grinned.

“Alice Danvers, you might be my new best friend.” The brunette declared, looking intently at the other girl.

“Oh, stop it.” Alice rubbed her neck awkwardly. “What’s your favorite?” She asked curiously.

“Writer’s Tears when I’m in a happy mood, Jack Daniels when things go south. You?” Beca replied.

“Nothing can beat Jack Daniels. Though, Writer’s Tears sounds interesting.” The redhead pondered. “Jim Beam’s also nice. But when I’m really feeling myself, I drink Glenfiddich.” 

“Cool. You know, I have some Macallan at home.” The brunette admitted.

“No way! They cost a couple of ks. I mean, I’m sure you can afford it, but wow!” Alice gawked at her. “How does it taste?!”

“You can sense that it’s expensive. But, it’s so good. Like, you get a mouthgasm. Maybe I’ll let you have a swig. But that’s only if Chloe gets into this clinic.” Beca winked.

“Are you trying to bribe me? Because one, you’re trying to bribe the wrong person, and two, I thought I was your new best friend!” The redhead pouted.

The brunette chuckled. “Well, I’m not trying to bribe anyone. I’m confident enough that Chloe will convince Sam that she’s fit for this job on her own. I believe in her.” She smiled softly. “Chloe has this thing...If she wants something, she can get it. Might be a little harder for her now, but she will get it. Eventually.” Alice shot her a knowing smile, and they fell silent again.

 

Just then, Sam and Chloe emerged from the office, passing Alice’s desk. Both Beca and Alice shot the pair a confused look. The small brunette cleared her throat as her girlfriend smiled at her. “Uhm...is the interview already over?”

“Not yet, Beca. But you can come with us. Alice, I’m in the dog kennels if you need me.” The blonde woman, which Beca assumed to be Sam, said. 

Alice shot Chloe a smile and nodded at Sam. “Roger that.” The brunette didn’t miss the small change in the secretary’s features as Sam had appeared. She seemed to have gone back into her shy stage, however smiling brightly at the blonde woman, looking at her like she held the world. The small girl had to smirk as she could guess what was going on. Either Sam was really oblivious or she knew but didn’t reciprocate the feelings. Either way, the small girl knew she had to stay out of it.

“Follow me, ladies.” The blonde winked at Beca and Chloe, who followed her, both equally confused. 

 

“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” The brunette whispered to her girlfriend, who shook her head, a little wide eyed. 

“No...she just told me she was going to test me or something. What if it’s like a gym test? I’m not in peak form! I should have worked out more!” 

Beca chuckled and let her hand slip into the redhead’s, who immediately relaxed a little. “I’m sure it’s not a physical test, sweetie.”

Sam had opened the door to a rather long hallway and the girls could hear several dogs. “Follow me.” The blonde smiled at them, her eyes swiftly flicking over to their conjoined hands.

They walked past several dog kennels, filled with barking dogs. “They don’t look very nice.” Beca whispered to her girlfriend, who just smiled at the dogs, not seeing the danger in any way. “They’re just scared.” She replied softly.

At the end of the hallway, Sam stopped. “Alrighty. Here we are.” She announced as she turned around, crossing her arms. Her voice dropped when she spoke to whatever was in the cage she was standing in front of. “Hey bud. I’ve brought some friends for you.”

Chloe pulled Beca along as they both looked into the kennel. In the very far corner, a small kooiker dog was huddled up, looking at them with scared, big eyes. It was shivering slightly and seemed terrified.

“Oh my god.” The redhead whispered, kneeling down so she was on eye level with the dog. “Hello there.” She said in soft voice, her blue eyes locking with the dog’s. 

“She was brought in a few days ago. We’re suspecting someone really, really hurt her.“ Sam explained, looking at Beca, who frowned.

“People are fucking ruthless.“

The blonde nodded and looked at the dog again, her eyes a little sad. “She won’t let us near her, so we can’t check her for injuries. Whenever we tried… she just get so aggressive. I don’t want to endanger my people anymore….but...she also won’t eat. I’m...I’m close to giving up with her. A scared dog like this will never get adopted. “ Beca and Sam exchanged a knowing look, but both looked at the redhead when she spoke up. 

“Could you open the cage for me?” She asked Sam, not breaking eye contact with the dog.

“Wait, Chloe! You can’t go in there. She said the dog was aggressive!” Beca immediately protested. She looked at Sam for backup, but felt her jaw drop when the the blonde shrugged and opened the lock of the cage with one of the keys in her hand. “Let’s see what she can do.”

“But!” The brunette grabbed Chloe’s shoulder as the redhead was about to open the cage. “Be careful, okay?” 

The other girl smiled at her and nodded, and opened the cage as soon as her girlfriend loosened her grip on her shoulder. After closing the cage door behind her, she kneeled down again, smiling kindly at the dog who tried to crawl even further into the corner she was hiding in.

When the redhead spoke up, her voice was extremely gentle and soft. “Hey there. It’s scary right? I know. I’m sorry.” 

Beca and Sam looked at each other with a smile as they watched Chloe sit down on the floor, crossing her legs. 

The brunette furrowed her brow at the action. “Chlo...what are you-” She started, but was interrupted by her girlfriend holding up a finger warningly. “Shh!” 

Beca shut her mouth and watched in amazement as the taller girl shuffled forwards a bit.

“Okay. Let me just get comfortable. Look, I know you really don’t want me to be in here and that you’re really scared, and I get it. But I’m not here to hurt you. I promise, okay?” The redhead looked at the dog intently, who just blinked at her.

“I know it sucks when you’re really scared. Like, you just feel like everyone and everything is out to get you. And it makes you panic so much. You feel like you can’t breathe. But you can get over that. You know how?” Chloe paused like she expected the dog to answer. “By finding someone you can trust to guide you. To be your rock when things get rough and scary. You see that girl over there, the tiny one? She’s my rock. When I was just as scared as you, she took care of me. Loved me. Till I wasn’t scared anymore. Isn’t that amazing?” 

Sam had been looking at Chloe intently but her eyes flicked over to Beca, who was watching the redhead with a soft smile tugging at her lips, though she felt slightly offended at being called “the tiny one”.  She was definitely gonna talk to her girlfriend about that later.

Chloe cleared her throat.“So, if I was able to overcome this, so will you. I’m going to help you, okay? How about I tell you a little story? That will make you feel more at ease.” She shuffled forward a little more and smiled at the two other women shyly before she started talking. “It all started at this activity fair…”

 

Beca had been watching in amazement as her girlfriend talked to the dog. She told stories about the Bellas, how they met, what they did, their performances. She explained how she realised she was in love with Beca, explained what she went through when her parents died and so much more. Her heart swelled more and more as she realised her girlfriend was laying her whole heart on the floor, just to make the little dog feel at ease. As the redhead talked, the dog relaxed more until she laid down on the kennel floor, watching Chloe with her head slightly tilted. After 15 minutes of Chloe talking non stop, both Sam and Beca had leant back against the wall, eyeing the redhead silently. “And that’s how we ended up here.” She finished up, wrapping her arms around her knees as if she had just finished talking to her best friend and waited for them to tell her a story in return. The dog blinked at her and Chloe smiled. “Fun, right?” She let go off her knees and shuffled forwards slightly, her eyes never leaving the small dog. When she saw the dog didn’t try to get away or crawl into the corner more, she inched closer until there was about 3 feet between them. Beca felt her breath hitch as Chloe extended her hand, slowly bringing it closer to the dog’s nose. “Hey.” She whispered. 

To Sam and Beca’s amazement, the dog sniffed the redhead’s hand curiously, sitting up so she could reach her. She didn’t seem aggressive at all. 

Chloe beamed at the dog. “See, I’m okay! I might smell a little bad because my hands were very sweaty. You know, job interview and all. But...I’m not gonna hurt you. Right?” As she talked, she extended her hand just a little further and softly booped it onto the dog’s nose. “Boop.” She whispered softly. Her blue eyes locked with the brown eyes of the dog and she parted her lips into a smile. 

“Can I touch you, here?” She whispered as she softly moved her hands up towards it’s head, letting her fingers run through the dog’s fur. She scratched behind the dogs ears and noticed that it had closed her eyes at the feeling. “Feels good, huh?” 

Beca glanced over at Sam, seeing the impressed look all over her face. She could tell Chloe had just scored herself a new job, but she needed the blonde to confirm it.

“Chloe.” Sam bursted the bubble they were currently in. “I think that’s enough. May I talk to you again in my office?” She asked softly, trying not to scare the dog.

“Of course.” The redhead nodded and focused back on the dog. “I’ve gotta go now, okay?” She whispered, giving the dog a final pat. She slowly inched away before closing the door, the dog looking at her scaredly, yet curious. She got up carefully before turning around. Sam motioned her to follow her. As they walked back towards the blonde’s office,the dog had gotten up and stood close to the entrance of her kennel, her brown eyes following them as they walked down the hall. When they arrived at Sam’s office, she opened the door and Chloe pulled her girlfriend inside with her. Sam sat down behind her desk, shuffling around a few papers before she looked up.

“I...Think we can all agree that what you just did was amazing. More than amazing. It was extremely impressive!” The blonde started. “You just… Got her to touch her. In like 20 minutes! That’s… wow. I don’t what to say.”

“It’s amazing what a few nice words can do.” Chloe shrugged.  “So, what does this mean?” The redhead asked, gripping on Beca’s hand tightly.

“What this means is… You got the job.” The blonde smiled. “And you’re officially in charge of taking care of the dog now. With you I have hopes she might find a home.”

Chloe gawked at Sam in disbelief, almost not noticing Beca’s excited hug and kiss to her cheek.

“You did it babe! I knew you could do it!” The brunette cheered.

“I…. I did it.” The redhead said weakly, cracking a smile. “Thank you so much Sam. I don’t know how I could ever thank you…”

“Thank me by starting next week.” Sam winked. “Let me discuss the details with you, okay?”

Chloe looked between the two women in the room with teary eyes, smiling widely. She couldn’t believe she had managed to land a job, and with such a huge responsibility as well. The praise she got from her girlfriend and how hopeful Sam looked at her gave her the confidence that she could actually do anything. “Okay.” She nodded, sitting down at the blonde’s desk.

“I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll be right outside. Alice is gonna go through the roof if I tell her she’s officially my new best friend.” Beca chuckled.

“Have you been schmoozing with the secretary?” The redhead asked offendedly, her eyes narrowing.

“Maybe. She loves Whiskey, Chloe. Whiskey!” The brunette chuckled. “Bye!” She didn’t miss the jealous glance Sam threw her way. She smiled knowingly, hoping Sam and Alice would hook up soon, as it was very clear to her that both women were crushing on each other, HARD. 

 

She left the room, making her way to the secretary’s desk. 

“Bad news.” She announced.

“She didn’t get the job?” Alice asked sympathetically as she looked up from the screen.

“No, I’m officially your new best friend.” Beca frowned.

“No, you’re kidding!” The redhead gasped, punching the desk in disbelief. “Oh my god!” She squealed, wrapping the brunette in a hug.

“Alright, easy tiger.” Beca laughed as she patted her back. “I’ll let you know when you can have a sip of the Macallan.” She winked.

“I’m so looking forward to that!” Alice grinned widely, pulling back. She noticed the huge grin on the brunette’s face and smirked. “You’re really proud, aren’t you?”

“Yep. Feels like my heart is gonna explode. But you don’t get to tell anyone that. I gotta keep up my badass appearance, you hear?” Beca winked at the secretary, who grinned even wider.

“Of course.” 

 

In the other room, Chloe was looking at Sam nervously while the blonde was rustling through some papers. “It should be here somewhere.” She said, getting a little frustrated which made the redhead snicker. 

Sam turned around, squinting. “Are you laughing at me, Beale?” 

The redhead shook her head quickly, looking down with wide eyes. “What are you looking for?” She asked carefully.

“Your contract. I had Alice print it out this morning but I have no idea where she left it.” The other girl answered, rubbing her neck awkwardly while she kept scanning the room. 

Chloe let her eyes roam over the desk and spotted a neatly bundled pile of papers. “Is that it?” She whispered, pointing at it with a shaking finger. 

Sam walked over to where she was pointing and grabbed the papers, flicking through them. “Yes.” She let out a chuckle. “Maybe I should just fire Alice and let you be my secretary instead.” She joked, which made Chloe’s eyes widen in alarm. 

“Just kidding. Now. Here. Read through this.” She extended her hand, holding out the contract for Chloe to take. “I realise starting work full time immediately might be a big step, but I still want you to try and work 5 days a week, from nine till five. Would that be okay?” Sam looked at the redhead intently, checking for any uncertainty. However, there was no uncertainty showing in her face at all. Just excitement.

“I think that will be okay. And...If it’s not, I’ll let you know immediately. Yeah?” Chloe looked up with a smile. She gingerly took the contract and opened up the first page. Sam sat down while she watched the redhead reading through it, her eyes flicking over the pages at a rather quick pace. When Chloe was done, she looked up with a shy smile.“This looks okay. More than okay. Do you have a pen for me?” She asked, looking at the blonde with a smile when she handed her a pen.

The redhead put the contract on the table and swiftly put her signature underneath it, handing it to Sam when she was done. 

“I guess that’s it.” The blonde broke the silence, collecting the papers and stowing them away in a folder. “How do you feel?” Her eyes flicked over the other girl, whose face was sporting a blank expression. 

Chloe swallowed heavily before answering. “Really weird. This is kind of surreal.” She eyed the blonde nervously. “Thank you so much for trusting me, Sam.” 

The other woman simply nodded and got up, walking around her desk and looking out of the window, her arms crossed. A soft smile played at her lips as she let her eyes roam over the beautiful park that was just outside their office. A few people were walking around, and her eyes rested on a couple walking close together across the path, their hands intertwined. “We all deserve a second chance, Chloe. Especially you.” She looked back at the redhead, grinning. “Now get your butt out of here, and take your girlfriend with you. I’ll see you on Monday.”

 

After receiving a thumbs up and hug from Alice, Chloe was pulled along outside by a very excited looking brunette. 

“Oh my god, Chloe! You were amazing!” Beca exclaimed, pulling her girlfriend in for a hug, dancing around the parking lot. The redhead’s giggle rang through into her ear, which made her smile even wider. “You should have seen Sam’s face! She looked at you like you were a superhero or something!” 

“I just…” The other girl started, but the brunette shushed her. “You’ve got a job! And you did it all by yourself!” She hugged Chloe again, feeling her heart swell up with pride. As she pulled apart, she held the redhead by the shoulders, smiling wickedly at her. “You must feel amazing!” 

Chloe bit her lip and nodded, averting her gaze however, which Beca immediately noticed. “Hey! What’s wrong?” 

“It’s just...a bit scary.” The redhead admitted softly, her eyes widening.

The brunette’s face softened and she brought her hands up to cup the other girl’s cheeks, pressing a soft kiss onto her lips. “You’re gonna be just fine. I know it.” She whispered, looking deeply into the redhead’s eyes. 

Chloe almost drowned in Beca’s blue eyes and the love she could see in them. Feeling that love engulf her, she realised there was nothing to be afraid of as long as she had the brunette by her side. So, she nodded, a smile breaking through her frown. “Okay.” 

The brunette poked her in the ribs playfully, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they made their way over to the car. “Celebratory dinner on me?”


	18. We are trees

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back! Somehow survived most of my finals lol. Anyway, enjoy this super duper awesome new update. Remember, don't read this with your friends or fam in the room, or while you're holding a toaster. :D

The celebratory dinner ended with one wine too many which led Chloe and Beca to heavily make out on the brunette’s couch, hands roaming over backs, hips, butts and faces. The brunette gently pushed her girlfriend back so they were now laying down, the smaller girl straddling the redhead’s hips. They broke apart for a second to breathe, looking into each other’s eyes, gasping.

“I love you so much.” Beca murmured, kissing Chloe’s jaw and neck.

“I love you too. So much.” Chloe replied, her hands gripping the brunette’s waist as she closed her eyes, letting out a satisfied whimper at her girlfriend’s actions.

The smaller girl kept kissing and sucking the redhead’s neck, making sure to leave a mark before licking over it soothingly. The small whimpers and muffled moans from her girlfriend spurred her on, the heat building up in her lower abdomen. She reconnected their lips, kissing her roughly and passionately, the desire evident.

Chloe felt on edge with Beca’s actions, and she let her hands slip underneath the brunette’s shirt, lightly dragging her nails up her back, lifting the fabric in the process. She stopped once she reached the hem of Beca’s bra, knowing that her girlfriend still wasn’t up to having sex yet. It annoyed Chloe, and she was getting more and more frustrated every day. So she ran her hands back down, kissing her girlfriend with as much passion and desire.

Beca broke away, smirking slightly at the frustrated whimper her girlfriend let out. “Hey Chlo…” She said a little breathlessly. “Let’s move this to the bedroom.”

The redhead’s eyes went wide as she gawked at her girlfriend. “To…?” She trailed off, almost too shy to ask the question.

“Yes. To cuddle.” The brunette confirmed, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing at the taller girl’s disappointed expression. She leaned closer to whisper into Chloe’s ear. “Naked.” She bit her earlobe before pulling back, almost coming right then and there at the redhead’s dilated and hooded pupils, dark with desire. She composed herself however, getting up to reach out a hand for her girlfriend to take.

Chloe took it gingerly, getting up a little flustered. “But I thought…”

“Yeah, so I went to the bathroom earlier. And...I’m officially off my period.” Beca interrupted her as she led her to the bedroom. “I’m ready. As long as you are as well. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

The redhead nodded. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this, Mitchell.” She leaned closer, enjoying the shudder she elected from her girlfriend as her voice dropped lower. “And I want you. Now.” She gently pushed the brunette onto the bed before straddling her lap, kissing her fiercely. The fact that Beca was finally allowing her to do the things to her the redhead had wanted to do for a while made her heart flutter with excitement, anticipation and lust. She briefly remembered their first time together, loving how passionate they were. But deep down she knew that this time was going to be mind blowing in every aspect. They both were somewhat sober and officially dating, so they definitely were going to be loving, gentle and taking their time. Nothing in the world was rushing them. She was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt Beca tugging on her shirt, begging for taking it off. She obliged, lifting her arms as the brunette removed her shirt, watching as her girlfriend marvelled over her bra clad chest.

Beca leaned forward, pressing soft kisses over Chloe’s chest and collarbone, her hands resting on her girlfriend’s hips. She took her time as she gently bit into the soft flesh of the redhead's breast, electing a small whimper from the girl above her. She pulled on it before running her tongue soothingly over it, one of her hands traveling upwards to cup her other breast.

Chloe pulled the brunette closer, closing her eyes as she enjoyed every kiss and bite. It was going a little too slow for her liking, seeing as she would have had Beca naked by now, but she didn’t want to rush this. She felt the other girl skillfully open her bra clasp, sliding the fabric down before tossing it away. When the smaller girl’s mouth connected with the redhead’s nipple, teasing it by flicking her tongue over it, a moan escaped her mouth as she arched her back, softly grinding against her girlfriend.

Beca whimpered softly against Chloe’s skin, deciding that the redhead definitely needed to lay down. She gently pushed her girlfriend off her lap. “Lie down.” She gently whispered, watching as Chloe obliged while biting her lip. As soon as the taller girl got settled, the brunette was quick to straddle her lap, kissing her hungrily as her hands roamed over the redhead’s breasts.

Chloe arched her back again, the heat between her legs becoming unbearable. She softly pushed her girlfriend down, signalling her that she wanted her, and she let out a satisfied sigh as Beca actually kissed down between the valley of her breasts.  “Becs…” The redhead whispered. She bit her lip and stared at the brunette, desire pooling in her eyes. While she arched her back, her hands pulled the brunette closer. She felt a tingle as Beca’s lips kissed down her stomach, leaving a burning feeling wherever they touched her skin. Her head swim slightly as she marvelled at the fact that Beca was all hers, and no one in the world could stop them. 

The smaller girl has reached the redhead’s lower abdomen by now, gently leaving marks to remind her that Chloe was in fact all hers. She unzipped the redhead’s jeans, marvelling at how the other girl’s stomach muscles clenched and pulled underneath her, begging for her touch. When she slid down the redhead’s pants, she ran a finger over the taller girl’s underwear, teasing her. 

Chloe arched her hips in response, gasping loudly. Her thoughts clouded and her muscles tensed, the need becoming almost unbearable now. Closing her eyes, she let out a soft moan. “Becs… please.” 

Beca decided it was enough teasing, sliding down the redhead’s underwear. “Fuck… You’re so wet…” She breathed out as she marvelled at her girlfriend’s throbbing core before connecting her mouth with it, licking her thoroughly. The redhead’s response was to let her head fall back, letting out a soft whimper. Beca brought her hands up to still the redhead’s legs, resuming her actions. She pushed her tongue in teasingly, feeling Chloe’s muscles clench around it. 

The redhead let out a strained moan, her hands roaming through the brunette’s hair. Guiding her, she felt waves of pleasure going through her. She closed her eyes and let out soft moans with every stroke of Beca’s tongue. “That feels so good.” She whispered softly, her hips arching into the brunette’s face.

Beca smirked. “Good.” She hummed, continuing with eating her girlfriend out. She marvelled at how amazing the redhead tasted. She vaguely remembered that from the hotel room, but doing this somewhat sober felt so much better. Chloe’s moans spurred her on even more and she pushed her tongue into her girlfriend while she brought her hands up to massage her breasts softy, making the redhead arch her hips even higher, lifting them up from the bed. Beca was in awe of how soft Chloe’s skin felt in her hands. She teasingly played with the redhead’s nipples, while she never stopped pushing her tongue inside of her. The other girl’s moans became more and more strained, a bright blush apparent on her face. Her hands clutched into Beca’s brown locks like a lifeline as she felt her body staggering with pleasure. She knew she was close, but wanted to enjoy this moment for a little longer. Opening her eyes carefully, she watched the brunette going down on her, which sent a sharp jolt of arousal through her, adding to the burning fire in her abdomen. Beca’s actions made her close her eyes again involuntarily, her brow slight furrowing as she neared her climax. 

The brunette in turn pinched the redhead’s nipples one more time before bringing her hands down. She let her fingers run through the other girl’s folds while she softly sucked on her clit. In one swift motion, she plunged two fingers deeply inside of her girlfriend, while simultaneously biting down ever so slightly on the redhead’s most sensitive point. Curling her fingers, she found the redhead’s g-spot easily, letting the top of her fingers run over it. 

Chloe’s reaction was immediate. Her hips jerked up involuntarily and she let out a loud, high pitched moan. Flying over the edge, her heart hammered against her chest, as if it was ready to take flight. Her walls clenched around the brunette’s fingers and she breathed out heavily, trying to calm herself down. 

Beca let her girlfriend ride out her high, her pace not slowing until she completely came down. She slowly pulled out her fingers, licking them seductively before crawling up, only to be met halfway for a hungry kiss. She moaned at the sudden intrusion, but happily kissed back as she felt herself being rolled onto her back, the redhead straddling her hips. Before she knew it, she was half naked, Chloe not wasting time on any kind of foreplay.

The redhead quickly connected her mouth with one of the brunette’s nipples, sucking it in deep before releasing it with a loud pop, licking over it. “I love your boobs so much.” She whispered softly. 

Beca looked up into the other girl’s eyes, her own pupils dilating. “Fuck Chlo…” She breathed out as Chloe went back to kissing and sucking on her breasts, making the brunette moan out loudly. She put her hands on the redhead’s back, gripping onto it slightly.

“It took weeks to heal the scratches, Mitchell. Better think twice.” Chloe warned softly and Beca gulped, resting her hands on the sheets instead. The taller girl travelled south, leaving open mouth kisses all over the brunette’s stomach. She removed her girlfriend’s pants before swiftly pushing the other girl’s underwear aside, connecting her mouth with Beca’s clit. She flicked her tongue over it before nibbling on it softly, her hands keeping the brunette in place.

Beca gripped the sheets as she let out a moan, buckling her hips only for them to be pushed down by the redhead, keeping her in place.

Chloe removed the underwear completely before settling between her girlfriend’s legs, connecting her mouth with the brunette's folds again, licking through them. The noises of pleasure from the girl above her spurred her on and she slowly pushed her tongue inside Beca, before retreating and licking up to her clit.

The brunette buried one of her hands in the redhead’s hair, her grip tightening whenever Chloe sent a wave of pleasure through her. She brought her other hand up to her mouth, softly biting the length of her finger to stifle some moans which resulted them coming out in soft grunts.

What she didn’t expect was for Chloe to suddenly push two fingers inside her, curling them instantly to look for her sweet spot. She removed her finger and let out a loud moan, along with some swear words, as she started rocking her hips slightly to meet the redhead's pace, her body feeling like she was on fire. Her breathing became more and more ragged with every thrust and she desperately gripped the sheets, her legs wrapping around her girlfriend to keep her close.

When Chloe grazed past the brunette's g-spot, the girl in question let out a shaky whimper. “Right there…” 

The redhead obliged, continuing by brushing past the soft spot, feeling her girlfriend’s walls clench around her fingers. “Come for me, baby.” She softly murmured as she bit Beca’s clit, licking over it soothingly. That was all the smaller girl needed, flying over the edge with a loud moan, her eyes squeezed shut as she rode out her high.

Once she came down from it, Chloe came back up to press a soft kiss onto her girlfriend’s lips. 

Beca kissed her back, still a little dazed from the orgasm. “Fuck…” She breathed out, chuckling weakly.

“That was something, right?” The redhead replied, tracing her fingers along her girlfriend’s stomach.

“Totally worth the wait.” The brunette nodded. “And so different than back in the hotel.” 

“Well, at the hotel we acted purely on our desire. This time around we did it with mutual love… and desire.” Chloe giggled.

“True.” Beca smiled goofily, cupping the redhead's cheek to kiss her again. She soon straddled her girlfriend's hips again, her hands wandering south.

“You want to go again? I thought you would be tired.” The redhead mumbled against the smaller girl’s lips.

“Oh baby, we’re just getting started.” The brunette husked as her hand slowly disappeared between the other girl’s legs.

 

After having gone at it for several times after that, releasing all the built up tension, they fell asleep, limbs tangled together, content smiles on their faces.

They woke up late the next day, feeling a little sore from last night’s activities. Beca, prepped up on one elbow, her head resting on her hand, currently traced her finger over Chloe’s back, who looked up at her with a sleepy smile. “Morning my beautiful lady.” She grinned.

“Mornin’.” The redhead replied. She leaned up to press a soft and loving kiss onto her girlfriend's lips before dropping back down on the pillow, closing her eyes. “Can we stay here forever?” She asked.

“I wish. But no. You got a therapy appointment later. And I should be at work. Or basically, in my studio. Yet, here I am.” Beca giggled. She stretched her arms a little bit. “You really wore me out.”

“I can’t help it if you’re so goddamn hot and sexy.” Chloe pouted. “I just can’t keep my hands off you.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” The brunette giggled softly. “Come on. Let’s put something on and get some brunch, yeah?” 

“Or… We stay here and you open your legs so I can eat you for breakfast?” The redhead asked, her tone hopeful.

“As much as I would love that, I’m hungry.” The smaller girl patted the other girl on her back. “So, get up and going.” With that, she slid out of the bed, walking over to the closet to look for some underwear.

Chloe let out a frustrated sigh as she followed her girlfriend with her eyes, her gaze shamelessly flickering over the brunette’s naked body. 

“Stop checking me out, you creep.” Beca laughed as she tossed her girlfriend a bra and panties. “Here you go.” She smiled before she put on her own underwear, slipping a loose tank top and sleep shorts on as well. “I’ll be in the kitchen.” She winked before leaving the room.

Chloe huffed as she begrudgingly put on her underwear as well, getting up to look for something to put on. She settled for an oversized flannel, only buttoning a few buttons before emerging from the bedroom, joining her girlfriend in the kitchen.

 

When she rounded the corner, she noticed Beca was bent down, grabbing the carton of milk from the fridge. The redhead bit her lip at the sight of the brunette’s butt and shuffled over, pressing herself against her girlfriend and nibbling on her earlobe softly. 

Beca’s breath hitched and she closed her eyes. “Chlo… I’m trying to make breakfast…” She whimpered as the redhead’s tongue ran along her neck. 

“I don’t care.” Chloe purred into her girlfriend’s ear. She let her hands disappear underneath the brunette’s tank top, who took in a sharp breath.

“I’m going to drop this fucking milk and you’re going to clean it all up, you hear?” 

The redhead’s lips curled up and she pressed a kiss onto Beca’s jaw. “Demanding. I like it.”

Beca plopped the milk on the counter angrily and grabbed Chloe’s wrist. “Fuck this.” With that, she pulled the other girl close against her, attacking her with hungry kisses. She pushed the redhead against the fridge, her hands slipping underneath the flannel she was wearing. “You look hot as fuck in that flannel.” 

Chloe closed her eyes and tilted her head as Beca’s lips traveled down her jaw, adding more hickeys to the ones already there. Her mouth felt electric on her skin, leaving a tingly feeling wherever they touched her neck. The redhead wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, pulling her close. 

“I want you to take me on that counter.” She whispered into the brunette’s ear, nibbling on her earlobe and tugging on it with her teeth. 

Beca felt arousal pool in her abdomen at her girlfriend’s words and spun her around, pushing her up on the counter. She hooked her hands underneath Chloe’s knees and pulled her close, pressing another hungry kiss onto her lips. Her hand travelled down and pulled on the redhead’s underwear, tugging the fabric down a little roughly. She didn’t waste any time to plunge two fingers inside Chloe, settling for a rather quick pace.

“Fuck...” The other girl moaned out, wrapping her arms around the brunette’s neck, pulling her closer as she let out noises of pleasure, resting her forehead on the smaller girl’s shoulder.

Beca took Chloe’s earlobe in between her teeth, nibbling on it before kissing down the redhead’s neck, settling for sucking on her pulse point. She circled the redhead’s clit with her thumb before rubbing it. Her other hand slid into the flannel and pushed past the bra to tease her girlfriend’s nipple, enjoying the low and breathy moans she was drawing from the other girl. 

Chloe rocked her hips to meet the brunette’s pace, throwing her head back. When the smaller girl started curling her fingers, the redhead gasped as her girlfriend hit the spot. She felt herself getting closer, enjoying the quick and rather rough pace.

Beca released the redhead's pulse point, slowly licking up the length of her neck before gently biting into her ear. She could feel her girlfriend’s walls clench around her fingers, and with one final oush she sent Chloe flying over the edge, moaning her name. She patiently waited as the other girl rode out her high before pulling out her fingers, licking them clean. “You taste pretty fucking good, you know.” She commented.

The redhead pulled her in for a hungry kiss, one that had the brunette moaning instantly. Chloe slid down from the counter, flipping them so Beca was now pressed up against it. She quickly tugged down the brunette’s shorts and underwear, letting it drop onto the ground. “Get on there.” The taller girl ordered, lifting her girlfriend up a little.

Beca obliged, sliding onto the counter as she felt the redhead's hands roaming underneath her tank top.

“What do you want me to do?” Chloe husked, running her hands over her girlfriend’s bra clad chest.

“I don’t care. Just fuck me Chlo.” The brunette whined, pulling the redhead closer as she arched her back into the taller girl's hands.

Chloe removed the tank top and connected her lips with Beca’s breast, immediately planting a hickey there. Her hand slid down and teasingly ran through the brunette's folds, and the redhead relished the feeling of her girlfriend moaning her name. She plunged two fingers inside of her, settling for an incredibly slow pace. Beca had teased her enough last night and the week before, so now it was time for payback.

“Oh my god.” The smaller girl whined frustratedly. “Go faster.”

Chloe smirked against her girlfriend’s skin as her fingers came to a halt. She leaned back, looking her in the eyes. “Beg for it.”

There was something arousing in the simple task, and Beca gulped as she literally felt her pupils dilating. She scooched forward, moaning softly at the unintended friction due to the redhead’s fingers still being inside of her, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s neck. “Please Chloe.” She started, showering Chloe’s jaw with slow, sensual kisses. “Please fuck me so fast and hard that I’ll lose all my senses.” She could feel the effect her words had on her girlfriend as the redhead’s breath hitched. “Make me feel good. I’m begging for your touch.” The brunette moaned the last word as Chloe had composed herself, resuming with pumping her fingers inside of her. “Fuck, you feel so good. Please never stop.” With that, she gently bit into the redhead’s earlobe, tugging on it.

The taller girl could swear she was never so turned on in her life. She whimpered softly as she picked up her pace, every noise of pleasure Beca made sending a new jolt of arousal through her. She could feel the brunette's hands wandering, resting on her butt as she pulled her closer, squeezing it. “Bec…”

Beca felt herself getting closer, squeezing her eyes shut as she rested her forehead on her girlfriend's shoulder. Her breathing became more and more ragged as she whimpered, her hands wandering up to the redhead’s back, gripping it. When the other girl curled her fingers, she fell over the edge, buckling her hips against Chloe’s hands, her nails lightly dragging over the redhead's back.

Chloe pulled out her fingers and sucked them clean, her legs suddenly feeling like jelly. 

Beca cupped her cheeks, kissing her sensually. “I love you so much.” She whispered against her lips.

“I love you too.” The redhead replied softly. She looked a bit dazed and her cheeks were bright red.

The brunette pressed one last kiss onto her girlfriend's lips before sliding off the counter, picking up her clothes again before putting them on. “I had kinda hoped they would stay on longer than barely five minutes.” She chuckled.

Chloe, who had been watching Beca with her bottom lip between her teeth, released it before chuckling. “I can’t help it that you’re so irresistible. You made a mistake with finally letting me touch you.” She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, pulling her close. “Now I will never be able to keep my hands off you.”

“Wasn’t that already the case before?” The brunette giggled. “Anyways, go set the table. I’ll continue with preparing breakfast. Sound good?”

The redhead hummed, pressing a quick kiss onto her girlfriend’s lips. “Aye, aye, sir.” She smiled as she let go of the smaller girl, reaching down to put on her underwear before quickly washing her hands. She flicked the soap at Beca before moving on to the cupboards, grabbing two plates. She set them down on the dining table before moving back, grabbing the needed cutlery. She plopped it down next to the plates as Beca joined her with two mugs of coffee, setting them down as well.

The brunette quickly went back into the kitchen, grabbing the pan with bacon and fried eggs, setting it down between the plates before heading back into the kitchen. She grabbed toast and other necessities before setting it all down on the table, getting seated.

The redhead had already taken her mug, holding it with her slender fingers, sipping occasionally. She contently waited as her girlfriend got settled and put each of them bacon and eggs on their plates, a soft smile plastered on her face.

“Someone is feeling the aftersex bliss.” Beca commented as she put a piece of bacon into her mouth.

“I’m just… feeling really content, happy and at ease right now. Let me be.” Chloe retorted with a smile. 

“I’m glad.” The brunette smiled softly. “How are you feeling about therapy later?”

“Well, Dr. Martens is definitely going to notice my current mood. It’s crazy sometimes how easily she can read me.” The redhead chuckled as she cut up her egg, plopping a piece into her mouth. “And I’m feeling pretty confident. I mean, I’m making progress. I eat regularly, I’m gaining back weight, even if it’s somewhat of a slow progress, and I have an awesome girlfriend by my side. I just… feel really good right now.”

“That’s great.” Beca smiled as she reached across the table and took her girlfriend's hand. “And you finally have a job! How crazy is that?”

Chloe’s face lit up instantly. “Oh yeah. It’s still so surreal that I forgot about it again! I just can’t believe Sam would really take me. I really hope she doesn’t regret it...”

“She won’t. You’re gonna be awesome.” The brunette reassured her. “Don’t forget to tell Dr. Martens about it though. After all, she should determine if you’re fit for working 9 to 5 straight off the bat or not. And I mean, if you’re not, Sam will understand. I really think she won’t let go of you that easily.”

“Thanks Becs.” Chloe ducked her head, blushing slightly. Whenever Beca complimented or reassured her, she felt extremely giddy and grateful. The brunette somehow always knew what she needed to hear, and it made her love the girl even more. “You’re so awesome, did you know that?”

“Yeah, I get that tweeted at least ten times a day.” Beca replied cockily which earned her a light smack on the arm. She chuckled before continuing. “But yours means the most.”

“Flattery won’t get you everything, Mitchell.” Chloe rolled her eyes but was unable to hide her smile, looking at her girlfriend lovingly.

“I have a feeling it does.” The brunette grinned goofily.

“You’re so weird.” The redhead replied as the other girl got up to clean up, pressing a kiss onto her girlfriend’s cheek.

 

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay, Chlo?” Beca asked nervously while she handed her girlfriend her backpack. “The LA subway is not like the safest place to be. I can still drop you off with the car. That’s no problem “ 

The redhead giggled as she heaved her bag onto her back “It’s kinda cute when you’re worried about me.” 

The brunette huffed and crossed her arms. “I’m just looking out for you.” 

“I know. I’ll be fine, babe. Literally, I’ve taken the subway in New York so many times. If something goes wrong, I’ll call you immediately. Okay?” Chloe pulled the other girl into a hug, pressing a kiss onto her lips lovingly. “You have to trust me. Or I’ll never be able to take care of myself.” 

Beca sighed and nodded. She put her hand on the doorknob, opening the door and leaning against it.“I guess you’re right. Let me know when you’re on the way back, okay?” 

“Will do.” Chloe smiled brightly and stepped out into the hallway. She turned around to look at her girlfriend, who still looked pretty uncomfortable with the idea of letting her roam the streets of LA on her own. Her face softened and she winked at the brunette. “I love you, kay? Bye!” She waved once more before stepping into the elevator, disappearing out of Beca’s sight. 

“Love you too.” The brunette whispered into the empty hallway, staring into it long after the redhead was gone.

 

Chloe had struggled a little bit with finding the entrance to the subway, and when she finally found it she let out a soft happy squeal. She descended the stairs, looking around curiously. It smelled kind of bad the more she got down, the combination of pee and coffee hitting her senses. As her eyes got used to the slightly darker underground, she remembered the conversation Beca and her had about today. After keeping it to herself for a couple of weeks, the redhead had finally admitted she felt really bad about the fact that Beca kept having to bring her to work and to her therapist appointments. She was an adult woman, for god's sake! After fighting about it for a little bit, the brunette had finally admitted that Chloe had a point. They compromised by letting Chloe try out the subway for her next therapist appointment and see if it was a good fit for her. The redhead was overjoyed and excited to go somewhere on her own, seeing it as a first step towards getting her freedom and confidence back. But now that she was here, she couldn’t help but feel a little lost. As she got out her phone, she checked the text Beca had sent her. It told her exactly where she needed to go and which train she was supposed to get on. She was trying to print it into her head, repeating it to herself softly. With her eyes trained on her phone screen, she didn’t see the person walking towards her, and she crashed into him. She briefly gasped as her phone flew from her hands and landed on the concrete floor with a loud smack, which made the redhead cringe internally. Apologizing furiously, she felt tears sting in her eyes. The man she had walked into had simply huffed and continued walking at a brisk pace, and soon he had disappeared into the crowd. Chloe’s hands were shaking as she picked up her phone, noticing a small crack in the screen.

“Shit…” She whispered, quickly shoving it into the pocket of the gray hoodie she was wearing. After wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she took a deep breath and walked closer to the wall, where it was a little less crowded. She kept her eyes trained on the people approaching her, making sure she wouldn’t walk into anyone else. Following Beca’s instructions, she found the right track and bought a ticket, clutching it closely to her chest as she made her way over to the train. She let out a grateful sigh as she got to her seat, setting her backpack down on the seat beside her. Now that she was here, she realised her reaction had been a bit dramatic. It was just a normal day, getting on a normal train. Her phone would be fine, it still worked even with the small crack in its screen. “Think positive thoughts.” The redhead whispered to herself, shuffling down a little in her seat. She let her eyes wander outside, looking at the people hurrying to get into the train at the last minute. The corners of her mouth turned up and she closed her eyes, waiting for the train to take off. 

A soft voice interrupted the silence of the compartment Chloe had been enjoying. “Excuse me dear, is this seat taken?” 

The redhead opened her eyes and saw an elderly woman smiling at her kindly. She was leaning on a walking stick and her eyes, although surrounded by wrinkles, were shining a brilliant blue. Her hair was grey, almost white and very, very curly. 

“Oh, no. I’m sorry. “ Chloe quickly grabbed her bag and shoved it underneath her own seat, so the lady could sit down. 

“Thank you.” The woman replied and sat down, propping her stick up on her lap. “Were you sleeping just now?”

The redhead blushed and shook her head. “No...I was trying to pass the time by thinking about other stuff.” 

“Ah. Well, I can be quiet if you want. “ The woman replied, looking around with a soft smile.

“No, that’s okay. Some company is nice. Distracts me.” Chloe shook her head, wringing her hands together nervously. 

The woman eyed her hands and then her face. “Oh dear, are you scared or something? Or feeling sick? You do look a little pale.” 

The redhead ducked her head down and shrugged. “Well...I guess so. A little bit. It’s my first time traveling or being alone in a very long while. It’s a little intimidating.” 

The woman nodded understandingly and patted the younger girl’s leg. “I understand. It’s scary being out on your own. In a big city like this, especially. Which is why I always bring this.” She motioned towards her stick. “I can walk just fine on my own. But it’s a good weapon.” The older woman deadpanned. “What’s your name, child?”

“I’m Chloe.” The redhead smiled, feeling reassured by the woman’s presence.

The older woman nodded, as if she was approving of Chloe’s name. “My name’s Teresa. Nice to meet you, Chloe.”

“Likewise.” 

They fell silent for a while as the train started to move. Chloe glanced over to Teresa several times, but the woman was just looking outside, appearing unaware the redhead was there. But suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, she spoke up again. “Chloe, what are you scared of?” 

The redhead almost jumped out of her seat as the woman spoke up, but she cleared her throat, thinking over the question. “Uhm...well. It’s just….Something happened to me and….I just keep feeling like whatever I do, I’ll go back to being that person eventually, you know? I’m just...I’m just scared of something going wrong and breaking down all the good things I’ve built up again. That I’ll be...god, I don’t know. I just don’t want to be….like that again. I can’t be.” 

Teresa nodded, pursing her lips. “So, wherever you go, whatever you do, you’re scared of falling back into that old habit or old personality? Is that right?”

Chloe looked up and nodded. “Yes. And I can’t….I can’t do that to the people I love.” 

“You’re scared of hurting their feelings?” The older woman blinked at the redhead, who bit her lip.

“I guess so. And I just...I don’t want to depend on anyone anymore. I want to be strong. Be my own superhero.” 

Teresa nodded. “Well, then you’ve got to evolve. The number one law of life is evolution. Everything in the universe progresses and changes with time, and anything which remains stagnant dies out. You, too, must evolve into a better version of yourself, little by little, growing and expanding each day. But you can’t do that on your own, okay? For example, How do you think a tree grows?”

Chloe sniffed. “With time?” 

The older woman laughed shortly. “Yes. With time. But also, with water, and soil, and sunshine. When the tree dies, it becomes soil for the other trees. You think you’re any different from those trees? Or your friends? Or me? If you listen hard enough you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel and see everything, everyone growing. We are all living together, even if most folks don’t act like it. We all have the same roots, and we’re all the branches of the same tree. We help each other grow. You can grow into a very strong tree, Chloe. I’m sure of it. But you’ve got to accept that you can’t do that on your own. Alright?” 

The redhead stared at the older woman in front of her, tears brimming in her eyes. She nodded weakly, a little overwhelmed at Teresa’s words. The older woman just smiled at her, once again patting her leg. “Where are you headed?” 

The redhead quickly dried her eyes on the hem of her sleeve. “Therapy.” 

Terese smiled and nodded. “Good. Hey, you listen to them, alright? They’re the brain doctors.” She got her stick and stood up, the redhead looking at her confusedly. 

“This is my stop dear. And judging by the words on your ticket, it’s yours as well. “

The older lady wasn’t even done talking when the train attendant announced that their stop was coming up, making Chloe giggle as she got up as well. She retrieved her bag from underneath her seat and followed Teresa outside. They walked in silence, climbing the stairs. There, the older woman turned around. She grabbed Chloe’s shoulder and squeezed it. “Remember. A tree.” 

The redhead chuckled breathlessly. “I think you’re the strangest lady I’ve ever met on a train.” She admitted. 

Teresa laughed and winked. “What, you’ve met other ladies on trains?” She turned on her heels, putting her stick down on the floor. She held up her hand as a greeting. “Goodbye, Chloe.”  

A sea of people walked between them and the redhead was pushed around. She stepped aside and waited for the crowd to pass. When they did, Teresa was nowhere to be found. 

 

\--

“So, let me get this straight. You met a lady on the train here and she gave you life advice?” Dr. Martens looked at the redhead in front of her with her eyebrows raised. “Are you sure you didn’t just fall asleep and dream all of it?”

“No, I swear!“ Chloe clutched the glass of water in her hands, her eyes a little wide. “It was like….like she was magic!” 

The other woman laughed, shaking her head. “Okay. I believe you. It’s a really nice metaphor for life.” She grabbed the notebook lying on the table next to her, getting her pen out. “So, besides meeting a magical lady on your way here, did anything else happen this week?”

“Uhm….” The redhead thought for a while, still obviously impressed with the events of this morning. “Oh, right! I got a job!” 

Dr. Martens was just sipping her tea and almost choked on it. Coughing, she smiled brightly. “Oh my god, Chloe, that’s amazing!” 

The redhead blushed, ducking her head down. “I mean...I guess so.” She still couldn’t believe her luck.

“I think that’s a very good step forward, Chloe. So, how did you get it? Tell me all about it!” 

The brunette took notes as the other girl explained what happened the day of her job interview. When she got to the part about the small dog, her entire face lit up. Dr. Martens smiled softly at the excitement her client was showing.

“...And then Beca and I went out for dinner after...and we drank some wine...and one thing led to another...” The redhead blushed, wringing her hands together.

“I see.” Dr. Martens shot her a knowing look. She scribbled something on her notepad, flipping the page after that. “So, that was the first time Beca and you were...intimate, so to speak...since the reunion?” Her piercing eyes looked over the top of her notepad and she smiled at the redhead.

“Y-Yeah. That’s right.” Chloe nodded, feeling a little awkward discussing her sex life with the woman in front of her. 

“Good, good. Was everything normal?”

The redhead looked down at her hands. “I mean, yeah. It was amazing...you know.” She remembered the soft skin on skin, the kisses down her neck, their limbs tangled together and her blush darkened. 

Dr. Martens put the notepad away, crossing her legs and folding her hands together. “I’m glad. You should let me know if there’s anything unusual there, like loss of libido, or the increase of it. Alright?” 

Chloe nodded furiously, wishing to would stray away from this topic as soon as possible. 

“How’s your weight been? Did you bring the chart?” The brunette doctor continued and smiled when the other girl handed her the notebook which included the daily measurements of her weight. She briefly flipped through it, nodding approvingly. “This looks good, Chloe. Very good.”

“Thanks. Beca has been feeding me lots of fruits and stuff.” The redhead smiled softly. She briefly remembered the game they played where for every strawberry she ate, Beca would give her a kiss. It made her smile widen. “I feel stronger...healthier. “

Dr. Martens nodded. “Good. I’m glad you’re doing so well, Chloe. I have a feeling you’re a little more at ease with talking about your disorder as well, am I right?” 

“Kind of. I mean, it’s still hard. I’m kind of ashamed sometimes. But…Beca helps. She knows what to do when I feel uncomfortable. “ The redhead played with the strings of her hoodie, twiddling them with her fingers.

“So how do you feel about starting your job on Monday?” Dr. Martens cleared her throat, taking a sip of her tea.

Chloe’s eyes widened slightly and she swallowed heavily. “Uhm...kind of nervous?” It sounded more like a question than an actual answer. The doctor smiled encouragingly. 

“And what are you nervous about?” 

“Well...there’s probably going to be a lot of new people to meet...and I will have to introduce myself and everything. And it’s been a while since I’ve worked and I just feel a bit overwhelmed, like...It’s scary. “ The redhead averted her gaze, trying to swallow. 

The other woman pursed her lips in thought. “Okay. But do you think these people will be mean to you? You’re new, but that doesn’t mean anything. I bet they’re really nice and accepting, and understanding of your situation.” 

Chloe shook her head. “No...but I’m supposed to be like...their boss or whatever. I don’t know how that works. I’ve never had to deal with that kind of responsibility before.” 

“I see. Well, I’m sure they’ll ease you into it. And you said your co-owner, Sam, was very nice, right? She’ll help you. You won’t be all on your own on this one.” Dr. Martens sipped her tea again, shooting Chloe a supportive look. 

The redhead wasn’t entirely convinced. “Okay...I guess you’re right. It’s just...I’m not really used to getting what I want, you know what I mean? My high school and college dreams all failed, and I just...I don’t want this to fail. I want to succeed. “ Her first clenched as she finished her sentence, feeling a weird sense of anger inside of her. “I don’t want whatever I have...going on inside of my mind ruin my chances at getting something good. I...I feel like I’m doing so well, but at the same time, inside my heart I still feel like I might lose all of it in a split second. Lose my job, Lose security….Lose Beca.” Chloe sniffed softly, her anger pushing the tears out. 

“I see. To me it sounds like you’ve lost trust, Chloe. You’ve lost trust in the ability for good things to happen to you. But you do deserve those things, okay? You deserve great things.” The brunette doctor handed the redhead a tissue, patting her leg comfortingly. “You have to stop blaming yourself, and your mental illness. Right now, you are doing the best you can. And this anger your feeling inside, it will fade. You’ll even learn to appreciate it. Even though you might think of what’s happened to you as a bad, horrible thing, with time, you will see that even the most terrible things can bring us greatness. I mean, does it suck that your feelings get hurt easily, and you get really really sad sometimes? Yes it does. But it also opened up your heart to so many new things, so many new emotions and sensations. Things you maybe would never have experienced. “

Chloe blinked, looking at Dr. Martens unbelievably. “You really think so?”

The other woman smiled, nodding. “Of course I do. I don’t only think so, I know so.” 

“Woa. Okay...I’ll...I’ll try to think about that.” The redhead wiped her eyes, smiling through her tears. Her heart felt a little lighter and she took a deep breath, letting the oxygen flow into her lungs. She remembered Teresa’s words and they gave her strength. 

“Good. And I’m afraid our time is up already. I’m excited to hear about how your first days went at our next appointment.” Dr. Martens got up and opened the door for her client.“Good luck, okay? You can do it!” She gave the dazed redhead a thumbs up. Chloe simply nodded and got up, walking into the hallway. She heard the door shut behind her and a soft smile formed on her lips. “I’m a fucking tree.” She whispered.

 

As she stepped outside of the building, she noticed the sky had already started to darken. She grabbed the straps of her backpack tighter, feeling a little more confident about making her way back on her own. She found the subway entrance pretty quickly, and descended the stairs, humming to herself. As she went to look for the train she was supposed to take, she remembered that Beca asked her to send a text when she was on her way back. She quickly started typing, sending a goofy text with lots of emoticons and love hearts. Her eyes fluttered over the crack in her screen briefly, huffing at the sight of it. 

Beca replied quickly, saying that she had a surprise waiting for her. Chloe bit her lip, wondering what her girlfriend meant with that. She was so focused on thinking about the message that she didn’t see the guy coming at her, resulting in them bumping into each other.

“Watch where the fuck you’re going, dude!” The man angrily hissed, not even bothering to offer the redhead a hand, seeing as she had fallen onto the ground.

“S-sorry.” Chloe whispered, getting up to dust herself off.

“You better be!” The guy stared down at the blue eyed-girl. Seeing how scared she looked, his features softened. “Where are my manners? Let me make it up to you by buying you a drink.”

“No thank you.” Chloe kindly replied, becoming more and more uncomfortable by the second.

“Aw, come on. It’s the least I can do. Or are you one of those girls that play hard to get?” The man’s eyes had a challenging glint to them. He stepped closer to her and the redhead choked on air, struggling to come up with words. She looked back but behind her was a wall, so she had nowhere to go.

“The least you can do is say sorry.” A voice called out. Chloe almost gasped as she saw Theresa step in, who started poking her stick into the guys back immediately. “Come on, be a gentleman.”   
“Ow, what the fuck?!” The guy yelped, turning around to face Teresa.

“You’re one of the rotten branches that Chloe doesn’t need. You know what they do with rotten branches? Cut them off.” The elderly woman glared, smacking the guy with her stick again. “Now straighten your posture, apologize sincerely and leave.” Her wrinkled face showed no fear.

“The hell? You are fucking crazy! I’m out of here.” The man replied bewildered, walking away hurriedly, looking back a few times.

“Men these days.” Teresa shook her head before turning to the redhead, who still stood frozen in a corner of the subway station. “Are you okay, dear?”

“Y-yeah. Thank you, Teresa.” Chloe relaxed and ducked her head, blushing. “He was really creepy.”

“Oh, I know. I’m sorry. Sadly there are not always nice people on this earth. But it’s what keeps this world balanced. There are good and there are bad people. The important thing for the nice people to do is that they scold the bad ones and help them go to the nice side. It is possible, you just have to try your best and have patience. And I told you before, this stick always comes in handy.” The elder woman smiled. “Now come on, we have a subway to catch, don’t we?” She motioned the redhead to follow her to the platform. Chloe nodded and followed the other woman towards their platform.

“I told my therapist about you.” The redhead smiled. “She was impressed with your advice. She thinks it’s a really nice metaphor, which it is. I love thinking of myself as a tree. Makes me feel stronger, you know?”

“That was my intention.” Teresa winked as they stepped into the train. They sat down next to each other, falling silent again. The train took off, and Chloe was left glancing at the mysterious woman next to her. As they rode in silence, she racked her brains, trying to think. Where did she come from? Why was she so easy to talk to? How could she make her feel better about herself with a simple tree metaphor? And how did she turn up just in time to safe her?

“I can hear your brain wheeling. What are you trying to figure out?” The woman smirked.

The redhead jumped, blushing a little as she realized she got caught. “Just… Why are you here all of sudden? You just swooped right in this morning, and just now as well. What does this mean? Are you like...my fairy godmother or something?”

Teresa laughed. “Well dear, the universe works in magical ways. I was in the right place at the right moment. And I don’t think this is the last time we’ll see each other.” She hummed. “I feel like we both have some unfinished business that we have to take care of.”

Chloe pursed her lips, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. “What business?” She crossed her legs and looked at the woman curiously.

“It’ll be revealed when the time is right.” The elderly woman simply replied, getting up. “Our stop is coming up.” 

Just then, the robotic announcer voice called their stop, and Chloe got up. The cryptic answers Teresa was giving her didn’t help at all. They got out together, looking at the different exits.

“Where do you have to go?” Teresa asked, smiling kindly at the redhead.

“Right. And you?” Chloe answered, hoping the other woman had the same way as her.

“Left. I think our ways separate here.” The elderly woman smiled. “May we meet again.” With that, she made her way up the stairs to their left, using the stick and the railing as support to get up the stairs. The redhead looked after her, her brain going miles a minute about the mysterious woman. Shaking her head, she took the exit to the right, her heart fluttering with joy knowing that her girlfriend will be waiting for her at home. She was still wondering what surprise Beca had in store for her.

 

When she got home, the redhead found that Beca went all out and made a romantic dinner for her, which then led to Chloe rewarding the brunette with something special on her own.

As they laid in bed together, cuddling, Beca running her fingers over the redhead’s arm, Chloe told her about Teresa.

“This tree metaphor is really awesome dude. What would I be in that tree?” The brunette asked, furrowing her brows.

“I think you’re a tree on your own. But like, your branches are intertwined with mine and we support each other. Go through thick and thin.” The redhead replied thoughtfully.

“Hmmmm. Sounds rad.” Beca grinned, pecking her girlfriend’s lips. “I definitely like that.”

Chloe grinned, closing her eyes as she snuggled closer to the brunette. She sighed contently as she felt Beca’s fingertips wander over her bare back. “I love you, Becs.” She pressed a kiss on her girlfriend’s collarbone.

“I love you too, weirdo.” Beca smiled, kissing the redhead’s head. “Goodnight.”

“Nighty.”


	19. First day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for the absence, life got in the way :D Anyways, we really love this chapter because it properly introduces some of our favorite OCs ever! We hope you love them as much as we do :3 Enjoy reading!

“Any first day jitters?” Beca asked with a huge grin on her face as she watched her girlfriend shuffle through the kitchen frantically. Chloe had insisted on making breakfast since the brunette always did it for her, and just because she was about to start her first work day didn’t mean she couldn’t also make breakfast. Beca sipped her coffee contently, her eyes not leaving the redhead as she prepared another slice of bread.

“No, why do you ask?” Chloe asked as she licked up a bit of the strawberry jam from her thumb. She plopped the finished plate onto the counter in front of her girlfriend. “Here you go.”    
“Well, because you’ve not been really kind to the bread.” The brunette giggled as she lifted it up, revealing a few holes.

“I’m fine, Becs. It’s just so exciting.” The redhead smiled widely as she joined the shorter girl at the counter. “And a little scary, but I’m really looking forward to it. Especially to that little dog I met before. I really hope I can get her to open up more.”

“Well, you definitely helped me open up. So I think you can do the same to that dog and many more animals that are to come.” Beca nudged her girlfriend with a soft smile. 

“You really think so?” Chloe asked quietly, her eyes fixed on the bread in front of her. She winced as she saw the holes her girlfriend mentioned. She really had been a bit rough.

“You know, I’m your number one supporter and believer.” The brunette chuckled. “Of course I think so. You can do anything Chlo. You’re gonna walz in there, everybody’s gonna love you, and that includes coworkers and animals alike, and you’re gonna be an awesome boss.”

“It’s still so weird that I’ll be a boss straight away. Usually you need to spend years working yourself up to that decision.” The taller girl giggled. “I don’t know how to be bossy, though. You know me. I’m too nice for that.”

“That you are. But who says bosses have to be rude? They can be nice like you. You only have to keep an eye on everybody that they do their jobs accordingly, and you’re set.” Beca shrugged as she finished eating her sandwich. “Now stop worrying for ten minutes and eat your breakfast. Then you can be nervous again.”

“That’s not… how it works…” Chloe whispered confusedly.

The brunette simply grinned and leaned forward, pecking her girlfriend’s lips. “Calm down. It’s gonna be fine.”

“Okay.” The redhead nodded and bit into her sandwich. She felt like she would throw up at any minute now, but Beca was right. She needed to eat something, or else she was going to pass out on her first day. That probably wasn’t going to impress her coworkers. Plus, with every bite she took, the smaller girl rewarded her with a kiss somewhere, and it made her heart flutter. “You don’t have to kiss me every time I take a bite, you know?” She giggled after a while.

“Nonsense. I’m happy that you’re eating and I’m happy that you’re mine so I get to do this whenever I want. Take it or leave it, Beale.” Beca challenged with a smirk.

“Alright, alright.” Chloe smiled. “I love you, you dork.”

“I love you too.” The brunette grinned.

 

After finishing breakfast, Chloe got dressed while Beca cleaned up the dishes. The brunette had begged her girlfriend to allow her to bring her to work on her first day, because it was a moment she didn’t wanna miss out on. The redhead had gladly agreed, because she was still a little nervous and it made her feel much calmer that Beca would be there with her to take the first steps inside. As they entered the car, the smaller girl looked at her girlfriend with a supportive smile because she could see the other girl was bursting with nerves. She was wearing a backpack, which included some snacks and a notebook to take notes in if needed. Beca found it made Chloe look adorable, as if she was going on a school trip. When both women were sat in the car, the brunette started it and drove off, turning on the music because she knew it would make the redhead feel much more at ease. They drove in silence, the air heavy with tension for Chloe’s big day. Beca noticed how the redhead was wringing her hands together nervously, her slender fingers turning white. She removed her right hand from the steering wheel and placed it over her girlfriend’s hands, stilling the movement. 

“You’ll be okay, sweetie.” She whispered, her eyes still trained at the traffic in front of them. 

Chloe let out a nervous sigh and bit her lip. “I know...but...It’s just…” Her voice died away, not being able to find the right words.

“Look, I know it’s intimidating to meet new people and you’ll never know if they’re going to be nice or just a pain in the ass. I can’t change that, even if I wish I could. But Chloe, you are the most generous, wonderful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. All you have to do is be yourself. And on the off chance that there’s someone out there who doesn’t like you, that’s their loss, not yours. You gotta remember that, okay?” Beca looked at her girlfriend intently, before directing her eyes back at the road.

“How are you...How do you do that?” The redhead answered, staring at the other with disbelief.

The brunette smiled softly. “Do what?”

“Always know exactly what you need to say to me to make me feel better?” Chloe replied, a soft smile playing on her lips as well. 

“Well, I’ve known you for quite some time now and I like to think that I’ve kind of figured you out.” Beca grinned at her girlfriend.

The redhead blinked a few times and nodded. “Right.” She chuckled.

“We’re almost there, so let out the last nerves before we arrive.” The brunette said, and laughed as she saw Chloe’s eyes widen. “And try not to have a heart attack.” 

 

Not much later, she turned the car into the parking lot of the clinic, shutting off the engine with a nod. She was about to get out of the car but stopped when she felt her girlfriend’s hand close around her wrist. “Chlo...c’mon, we have to go in.” She whispered, looking at the other girl with an amused grin. However, instead of seeing the nervous look she had gotten used to during the drive, she saw the other girl’s pupils were a little dilated as she smiled mischievously at her. Before she could really react, Chloe climbed over to the driver’s seat, sitting in the brunette’s lap and pressing her lips onto Beca’s a little roughly. Immediately, the smaller girl felt a shot of arousal go through her at the sudden change in her girlfriend’s behaviour and the way she ran her tongue over her bottom lip made her head spin slightly. Chloe’s hands moved underneath the brunette’s flannel, creeping up to cup her breast. 

“Chlo….what the hell are you doing?” Beca murmured against the redhead’s lips, her brow furrowing a little. “You’re going to be late.”

“Shut up.” Chloe replied, silencing the brunette with another passionate kiss. Her hands danced over her girlfriend’s skin, slipping into her bra and softly kneading Beca’s soft breast, squeezing the already hardened nipple between her fingers, which resulted in a soft moan from smaller girl. She moved to kiss down the brunette’s neck, sucking on the skin there.

“But…” Beca tried again, her voice wavering.

Chloe let out a groan and moved away a little, pressing a finger against the brunette’s lips to silence her. “You told me to get my nerves out.” 

“But we’re in the parking lot of your new workplace…” The smaller girl murmured against the finger.

“Your windows are blinded.” The redhead shrugged, resuming kissing down the brunette’s neck. “And we’re early anyways.”

Beca couldn’t really argue with that logic, so she grabbed the handle of the seat and moved it back so the redhead wouldn’t accidentally honk the horn. Her arms wrapped around her girlfriend’s back, tilted her head and closed her eyes. Chloe’s kisses turned more and more sloppy, and the arousal between Beca’s legs grew. Eventually, the redhead slipped her hand into the brunette’s jeans and underwear, her fingers running through her girlfriend’s folds carefully. 

The smaller girl let out a soft whimper at that and tilted her head back into the car seat. As the redhead’s fingers skillfully massaged over the soft bundle of nerves, Beca felt waves of delight wash through her entire body. “Chlo...please don’t stop…” She whispered, pressing a soft kiss onto the taller girl’s collarbone. As Chloe resumed getting her girlfriend off, she felt her nerves ebb away, instead feeling a certain sense of calmness. She massaged the brunette’s breast with her other hand, nibbling on her earlobe. Beca’s soft moans spurred her on even more and she bit down on the delicate skin on her neck, licking over it afterwards. As her girlfriend’s sounds became higher pitched, she knew Beca was getting close and pressed another passionate kiss onto her lips, slipping her tongue into the brunette’s mouth. 

Beca didn’t really know how she had gotten into this situation exactly, but right now the gentle strokes of Chloe’s fingers were all that mattered. She let out soft, breathless moans, feeling herself nearing her climax embarrassingly fast. Something about doing this right in the parking lot of Chloe’s workplace made her extremely turned on and her legs felt like jelly.

The redhead smirked softly and licked up the smaller girl’s neck, whispering in her ear. “You’re so fucking hot when you moan like that.” 

That was all Beca needed and she came with a high pitched moan, her breath staggering as the feeling of bliss washed through her body. 

“Shit, Chloe…” The brunette whispered after she calmed down from her high. A bright blush was evident on her face and chest.

“Sorry….” The redhead replied while smiling sheepishly.

Beca shook her head unbelievably. “I can’t believe that just happened.” Her eyes zeroed on the clock and she cleared her throat. “It’s...It’s 9 am.” She whispered. 

“Yeah. Let’s go.” Chloe nodded and climbed off of the brunette’s lap, as if nothing happened. She opened the door and exited the car, leaving a very flustered and confused Beca behind, who eventually remembered that she was supposed to follow her girlfriend and left the car as well.

 

As they entered the vet’s clinic, Alice immediately greeted them from behind her desk. 

“Hey! Chloe! I’m glad you’re here!” The tall woman smiled at the two, getting up and rounding the table. She let her eyes roam over Beca curiously, who still looked a bit flustered. “Hey Beca, you seem a little ruffled. Is everything okay?” She asked the brunette worriedly.

“Oh, the...uhm the AC doesn’t work in my car so I got a little hot.” The smaller girl replied, averting her gaze awkwardly. 

Chloe giggled which resulted in a soft jab of Beca’s elbow into her side. 

Sam approached from the hallway, a notepad in her hands and black glasses propped up on her nose. When she spotted Chloe, she smiled softly. “Hey!” She joined the circle of women standing around. 

“Why are you all standing here?” 

“I just wanted to wish Chloe luck.” Alice shrugged and went to sit behind her counter again, after letting her eyes very obviously roam over Sam’s face, which made the blonde blush a little. She cleared her throat.

“Anyway...I’ll show you to the locker room so you can get your scrubs. I assumed you wear a small, I hope that’s correct?” Sam smiled kindly at the redhead, who nodded.

“I guess that’s my que to leave. I only came her to drop her off anyways.” Beca smirked, taking her car keys in her hands. “Have fun ladies! And Chlo, you know my phone is always on. If something’s wrong, you know what to do.” She winked at her girlfriend, who waved at her sweetly. 

“Bye Beca! I hope you get your AC fixed soon.” Alice said, a little too loudly, as the small brunette turned around and left the building hurriedly. 

Chloe giggled again and followed her co-owner towards the locker room, where she got handed her scrubs. After changing into them, they went into the canteen to get the day started. The room consisted of a big round table with chairs scattered all around it, and a small kitchen in the left side corner. Sam motioned for Chloe to sit down as she went to make both of them a cup of coffee.  

“Do you take sugar?” The blonde asked while the coffee machine whirled loudly. 

The redhead played with a pamphlet and nodded. “Yeah. And milk, please.” She looked around the room a little intimidatedly while Sam opened the fridge.

 

When both women had a steaming mug of coffee in their hand, the blonde cleared her throat.

“So, It seemed best to me that you’d probably not take any patients yet today. I’ll show you around the vicinity and then you can help Bernie with the small dog. After you were able to touch her, she does eat, but we still aren’t able to really give her a thorough examination.” 

Chloe smiled at the mention of the dog and sipped her coffee. “That sounds like a good plan.” She seemed to think for a while before speaking up again. “Who’s Bernie?” 

The taller woman laughed. “He’s one of our employees.” She explained.

“Oh. That makes sense.” Chloe snickered and took another gulp of her coffee nervously, burning her tongue. “Shit!” She whispered, plopping it down on the table quickly and sticking her tongue out. “Ow.”

Sam giggled and shook her head. “You okay? You want some water?” She asked as she got up to get one.

The redhead nodded sadly and gratefully took the glass of water from the blonde. “Thanks.”

“So, I think we should finish our coffee and start the tour, and after you’ll meet Bernie and he’ll help you with treating the dog.” Sam nodded at her own plan approvingly as she talked.

“Okay.” Chloe replied, and they drank the rest of their coffee in comfortable silence. 

 

“...And here are the dog kennels, as you know already. We keep the bigger dogs here, while the smaller dogs go in the cages we use for the cats also. “ Sam explained as they walked past the door that led to the dog room. “We have a big garage where we keep supplies and we also have a big freezer for...you know, the dead animals. “ 

“Right…” Chloe nodded, taking in the information as best as she could. Her face scrunched up in concentration.

The blonde smiled briefly before continuing her tour. “Outside is a big playing field for the dogs, we use it a lot in the summer but right now it’s not really of much use. We walk the dogs three times a day, so that’s also your job.” Sam opened the door to her office, putting her notepad down. “And that’s about it, I think.” She went to sit down behind her desk, folding her hands together and looking at Chloe intently. “Any questions?”  

The redhead bit her lip and shook her head. “Not really…I mean, it’s a lot but...I think I got everything memorized.” 

“Good. Then if you could wait in the break room, I’ll call on Bernie and he’ll help you get started with treating the dog.” Sam dismissed Chloe with a wave of her hand, and the redhead went over to sit at the big table in the canteen again. She thought about getting another cup of coffee, but seeing as she normally didn’t really drink more than one cup a day, it seemed like a bad idea. Instead, she went to stand in front of the window and looked out over the park, smiling to herself softly. 

“Are you Chloe?” A voice spoke up after a while, interrupting her from her thoughts. The redhead turned around swiftly and was met with a rather tall, muscular guy who was wearing scrubs as well, although underneath his lab coat he was wearing a rather revealing v-neck shirt. 

“Y-Yes. I’m her...I mean yes, I’m Chloe.” She stuttered, stepping away from the window nervously. 

“Good. I’m Bernie. Nice to meet you.” The brunette man extended his hand and Chloe took it, shaking it a little weakly. 

“Likewise.” She replied, retracting her hand and putting it in her back pocket awkwardly.

Bernie smiled kindly at her. “So, we’re going to treat the dog now. Are you ready for your first patient?” He asked, while they started walking towards the dog kennels. 

“I guess so. I mean, why wouldn’t I be?” Chloe answered nervously, suddenly doubting if she was ready at all. However, all the doubt disappeared as soon as they arrived at the dog’s cage. Chloe noticed how it was sitting in the corner again, its eyes a little big as it shivered slightly. 

“Hi!” The redhead kneeled down so she was on eye level with the dog and smiled as its tail started wagging as it recognised her voice. 

Bernie watched the exchange with a smile, staying back a little. “You can open the cage if you’d like.” He commented, and Chloe did so, unlocking the cage skillfully and shuffling inside before closing it again. She immediately went to sit down on the floor, her legs crossed and she patted the tiles in front of her softly. “Come over here!” She smiled sweetly at the dog, who looked at her like she just insulted its great ancestors.

The redhead pouted at that, shuffling forwards a little. “Or...Should I come over there?” 

The dog didn’t struggle to get away as the girl approached, instead it just watched her with great interest. 

“Don’t you remember me? I thought we were friends.” Chloe’s voice was sickly sweet as she talked, reaching out her hand for the dog to smell. As the dog’s snout carefully sniffed her out, the redhead approached slowly, eventually ending up right next to it. 

“Can I give you a hug?” She asked as the dog bobbed its head against her extended hand. She carefully scratched the dog behind its ears and that seemed to break the ice, as the dog almost jumped into Chloe’s lap, demanding more scratches. The redhead giggled softly and patted the dog all over, examining it in the process. 

“He seems to like you.” Bernie commented from outside the cage, still keeping his distance in case the dog got upset. 

“He is a she.” The redhead grinned, ruffling the dog’s fur. “We should give her a name.” 

The brunette man thought for a while. “How about Daisy?” He offered.

Chloe hummed, testing out the name in her mind. “I was thinking we could call her Olive.” 

“That’s perfect for her.” Bernie agreed, smiling softly at the sight in front of him. The dog was sitting in Chloe’s lap, licking her hands and face. “Do you see any injuries?” He asked after a while.

The redhead nodded. “She seems to have a wound on her left back paw. I can’t really see it though. I need your help.” Her eyes looked up towards Bernie a little pleadingly.

“Alright...I’m coming in.” He replied, unlocking the cage carefully. 

Olive’s reaction was instant. She went to stand in front of Chloe, growling at Bernie angrily.

“Oh no.” Chloe whispered, shuffling towards the dog carefully.

“It seems she’s rather protective.” Bernie laughed a little breathlessly, keeping still in case the dog decided to attack. He noticed the redhead was approaching the dog again. “Maybe you shouldn’t-”

“Shh!” The girl shushed him, reaching out her hand and gently patting Olive’s head. The dog let out another deep throated growl and Bernie was ready to grab her in case she attacked his redheaded colleague. 

“It’s okay, Olive. He’s a friend. We both want to help you.” Chloe whispered. “Bernie, I need you to sit down.” 

The brunette man obliged, although a little confusedly. He sat cross legged on the floor, looking up at the dog nervously, who stopped growling and sat down on the ground as well. 

“Go check him out.” Chloe gave Olive a final pat and the dog carefully made her way over to Bernie, her ears laid flat against her head. They both held their breath as the brunette man extended his hand and Olive sniffed it carefully, her eyes studying the man curiously. 

Chloe’s lips formed into a huge smile as the dog licked Bernie’s hand and he was able to scratch behind her ears as well. “See, he’s nice!” 

Bernie couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched the dog literally transform in front of him and he patted her back. He smiled thankfully at the redhead, who just nodded approvingly. 

“How did you…?” The brunette man asked as Olive went back towards Chloe, lying down next to her, her head in the redhead’s lap.

“Just...patience?” The girl replied with a smile, playing with Olive’s fluffy ears. “Now, come over here, you need to see her leg. It looks kind of bad, I think.” 

Bernie nodded and he shuffled closer to the redhead, careful not to scare the dog. “Can I see your leg, little lady?” He asked sweetly, trying to mimic Chloe’s tone.

Olive stood up and went over to him, burying her nose into his elbow, which made both of them laugh.

“Alright, turn around.” The redhead said, getting the dog’s attention so Bernie could examine her leg. 

Just above Olive’s knee, there was a weird spot of clotted fur. The brunette man carefully touched it, and the dog whimpered softly, a soft growl erupting from her mouth. 

Chloe flinched and stroked the dog lovingly. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Olive looked at her with big brown eyes, as if she was saying “Yes, it does, so stop touching it!”

Bernie managed to cut some of the fur away with some scissors and found a wound hidden underneath it. 

“How does it look?” The redhead asked worriedly, still stroking Olive so she’d stay calm.

"Well, it looks ulcerated. We definitely have to open it again, get some of the goo out." Bernie said. 

After shuffling away carefully, he took out a syringe and filled it up with anesthesia. 

“I don’t trust her enough to stay still, so little Olive is going to take a little nap.” He said softly as he sat back down and pushed the syringe into Olive's skin carefully. 

 

Soon, the dog feel asleep. Chloe never stopped stroking her, even after they both lifted her onto the operation table. She had pulled over a chair and sat close to the dog, her fingers running through the velvety fur.   They had shaved part of Olive’s leg so they could reach the wound better.   Bernie smiled at how sweet the redhead was being as he prepared the  necessities. He got out a scalpel and grabbed onto Olive’s leg,  carefully cutting open the swollen bit of skin, letting the pus flow out. He pressed out all of it before sterilizing the wound and repairing it with some stitches. Luckily, the wound wasn’t very deep. He bandaged it up and patted the leg, proud of his work. "There we go."

Chloe smiled. "Good job" She whispered. She slowly stroked the dogs nose, smiling. "I hope she will let more people in." She added softly.

"Me too. It's gonna be difficult to put her up for adoption otherwise." Bernie sighed, cleaning up his supplies and washing his hands.  "She surely is a great dog."

The redhead nodded. "I can train her." She said, clenching her jaw. "She deserves a good, loving home."

"I'm sure you can do that." The brunette man smiled. "You got her to open up to you and to me. It was like magic."

Chloe smiled. "I'm glad" She said, still stroking Olive absentmindedly. "Should we leave her to wake up? Maybe she's going to be scared if she wakes up alone" She added worriedly.

"No, you stay with her.  I'll let Sam know of the progress." Bernie replied and together they lifted her off of the table, putting her back into the cage carefully. Chloe went to sit down next to the dog. 

The brunette man smiled at her.“As soon as she wakes up, make sure to check if everything is normal and maybe try to make her drink something.” He said before he left the room to talk to Sam.

Chloe nodded and leaned back against the wall, stroking Olive absentmindedly. "I promise you'll get a warm and loving home." She whispered softly, her eyes closing as she listened to the soft breathing of the dog next to her. Olive softly whimpered as she woke up some time later, making the redhead’s eyes snap open as she immediately tried to calm her down. The dog snuggled into her, feeling the need to be comforted. Chloe smiled. "You'll be okay." She whispered, lovingly stroking the dog’s nose. When Olive had woken up fully and inspected her bandage, she drank some water and laid down on the floor, studying the redhead with big, brown eyes. 

Chloe giggled at the dog’s behaviour. "You good? I kinda have to go now. But, I'll visit again soon. I promise." She said, getting up with a groan. She closed Olive's door, locking it before looking back at the dog once more. Olive seemed to have dropped off to sleep again so the redhead felt good about leaving her to rest. As she walked back towards Sam's office, her eyes wandered over all the other dog kennels. When she arrived at the blonde’s office, she knocked, but no answer came. She shrugged and went to the general office, where she heard voices. Sam and Bernie looked up at her as she walked in. She held up a hand. "Reporting for duty." She said goofily.

"Is she awake?" Sam immediately asked. 

Chloe nodded. "She's fine. Drank some water and watched me for a little bit. She'll be okay, probably a little sleepy still." She answered, grinning. She sat down at the big table, and accepted a coffee from Bernie. "Thanks" 

"I heard you worked your magic again." Sam smiled. “Good job.” 

The redhead blushed. "Ah, Bernie did all the work." She said, embarrassed. "So, what's next?"

"I'll be talking to you about the business stuff." Sam said, giving Bernie a meaningful look.

He understood the que and waved before walking out. 

Sam cleared her throat and sipped her coffee. "So, I know you’re great at taking care of animals. You’ve proven that much. But there’s another part to this job and I want to make sure you’re ready to take on that responsibility.” 

“What do you mean?” Chloe answered, feeling a little nervous at the sudden serious tone in her co-owner’s voice.

“Well, I expect you to go to certain meetings with me. Not all of them, but I'll let you know which ones. You'll be working more as a vet than a businesswoman, cause I want to do that job. I only get called in when there is something really wrong with the animal." The blonde smiled.

Chloe nodded, crossing her arms on the table. "So, basically, you do the boring stuff and I do the fun stuff?" She asked carefully.

"Basically." Sam grinned. “But I still want to make sure you can handle meetings in case I am ever not able to go to one. I mean, we’re equals after all. “ 

Chloe smiled brightly, feeling a weird sense of pride. "Okay. That's a deal."

"Good. There’s a meeting today, and I think it would be a great idea for you to join me. It might also give you some insight into what I do here.  It's scheduled for 2 pm." Sam smiled. "Until then you can feel free to roam around, get to know your coworkers and have lunch with them. I'll meet you at half past 1 in front of my office."

Chloe smiled. "Great! Thanks Sam." She said, and got up, throwing away the plastic coffee cup. She decided to take the chance to properly introduce herself to her coworkers first, starting with Alice.

She walked over to the counter, where the redhead was looking at her computer intensely. Chloe leaned on the counter, staring at her. She was truly a very beautiful woman, she realised. All the people that worked here were somehow amazingly beautiful.

"Staring is creepy." Alice smirked, obviously having noticed the girl looking at her. "What's up?"

Chloe blushed and shook her head. "Sorry. Lost in thought. I just wanted to...properly meet you. I mean, Sam told me to meet my co-workers. So...hi." she said awkwardly.

"Hi!" Alice chuckled. "Well, I'm Alice, as you already know.” She seemed to think hard about what she was going to say next. “I am 29 and have been working here for almost 2 years. I'm from Maine though. Moved here because I got a scholarship and now I'm trying my best to find a job. This job here is only temporary so I still have a house to go home to." She winked at the redhead. 

The smaller girl nodded and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Alice. I'm Chloe. I'm 31, but I really don't want to think about that for too long. Makes me feel really old. I just started, as you know. I am planning on staying here for a while, if Sam will allow me to. I want to start helping my girlfriend out with paying rent." She said, rubbing her hands together nervously.

"Beca lets you stay at her place without paying rent? How generous is she?" Alice gasped.

Chloe blushed, a little embarrassed. "The most generous, loving person I've ever met. But I feel really bad about it." She answered, tapping the counter. "I mean, I know she’s famous and everything and she keeps telling me money really isn’t a problem, but it just feels wrong, you know?”

“I get it.” Alice nodded. "Hey, Do you want to grab lunch together later?"

“I mean, sure...but...do we...are we allowed to leave?" Chloe replied nervously. "At my old job you had to bring lunch in"

"One of us has the daily duty to go to the nearest restaurant/food place/McDonald's and grab something for everyone. But we all don't wanna go alone so we kidnap someone." The taller girl explained. "Sam doesn't mind, seeing as the clinic is closed during lunch anyways."

"Okay. So you're kidnapping me?" The redhead said suggestively.

"Yes." Alice giggled. "Today's menu is Chinese."

Chloe had to laugh at that. She never in her life had Chinese for lunch. “So when are we leaving?"

"At 11:45. Just come back here around that time, I’ll be here." The other girl smiled. "I need to reply to some emails now." 

The redhead nodded, pushing herself off from the counter. "Good luck."

Alice waved at her while she started typing furiously. 

 

Chloe decided to just wander through the clinic, since she still had half an hour till it was time for lunch. She saw a small poster with an image of a cat on it, telling her that the cat kennels were that way. She gingerly made her way over there and entered the room, which was filled with cats in cages. "Oh my gosh, hello!" she purred, as a small black kitty meowed at her. She dropped to her knees to be able to see it better. Sticking her finger through a hole in the cage, she giggled as she played with the cat for a little bit. She got up again and let her eyes roam the room. "There's so many of you." she commented, looking at the enormous amount of cages.

"Yeah, it's rejection season. Literally." A male voice spoke up. When Chloe looked at him, she noticed that he was familiar. "Luke?" She asked carefully. He looked taken aback, his eyes widening a little. "Yo, how do you know me?"

Chloe's eyes lit up. "From Barden. University. You know." She said with a big smile. "My girlfriend followed an internship at your campus radio."

He squinted his eyes and then seemed to recognize the redhead. "You mean Becky? Can't believe you're still dating after all these years." He said, remembering. "She's famous now, isn't she?"

The redhead blushed. "Yeah. I haven't dated her for all these years though. We're a new couple." She said, a little embarrassed. "I still remember how happy she was when you would play her mixes."

"Wait, you weren't dating back then?" Luke asked, looking confused. "Well, I'm glad anyways. I always knew she was special. I told her that plenty of times." He boasted. Chloe knew in her heart that that was complete bullshit but didn't speak up. 

"So uh.. Claire right? It's a small world, huh?" The blonde guy smiled a little sheepishly.

Chloe laughed nervously. "I'm Chloe. And yeah, I can't believe I ran into you here. How did you end up in LA?" She asked curiously. 

"Oh, I'm never good with names." He chuckled. "Well, I DJ at night and work here at day. I always liked animals and wanted to help out in some way, but I also love music, so I came here. My success is rather.. Small. Maybe 70.000 people have heard of me.. In the entire world." He smiled. "Still a dream come true."

Chloe smiled. "That's really great, Luke. I'm glad you get to do what you love." She said, leaning against the wall casually.

"Well, you seem to do well with animals too. Heard you got that kooiker dog to open up." Luke said, crossing his arms.

The redhead nodded.. "I did. I don't know what it is, I just...instinctively know what to do" She shrugged. "But I'm glad she trusted me. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have gotten this job."

"Woah, Sam really didn't joke around." Luke commented, shaking his head. "Do you want to feed the cats with me?" He added, getting out a big bag of cat food. 

“I’d love to…” Chloe looked confused. "But what do you mean, joking around?" She said, a little nervously. 

"She said she wouldn't give this job to just anyone. They'd have to perform a miracle for her to be convinced." He said, handing Chloe a food container.

The redhead blushed furiously. "I mean...It wasn't that special. She probably exaggerated it a little bit."She opened the first cage, stroking the small white cat while she filled up its food box.

"Well, I'm glad that we have a familiar face around here now." Luke grinned at the girl in front of him. "You two should come to my show this Friday."

Chloe smiled. "I'll ask Beca. She's coming to get me when I get off. I bet she'd love to see you again." She said, closing the cage.

"Okay!" Luke grinned and they resumed feeding the cats in silence. Chloe smiled as she looked over to the blonde man next to her. It was nice to see a familiar face at the workplace with all the scary unknown people. It surely made the whole thing feel less surreal.

 

When they were done feeding the cats, Chloe checked her watch. It was nearing 11:45. 

"I have to get lunch with Alice now. See you later, Luke!" She said, waving at him as she left the room.

"Bye, remember my wontons!" He called after her.

Chloe laughed at the pleading tone in his voice and walked up to Alice's counter. The tall woman was looking at something on her computer with a very concentrated face. As the redhead rounded the table and stared over her shoulder at the screen, she saw the other girl was looking at pictures of Beca and her. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and she quickly coughed to let Alice know she was there, after averting her eyes from the screen.

"Oh, hey." Alice said, calmly closing the tab. "Ready to go?" She smiled and got up, stretching her legs a little.

Chloe laughed, a little embarrassed still. "Oh yeah, let me grab my coat." She turned around to grab her dark pink coat from the coat rack. "Do I need to bring my wallet?" She asked, uncertain as she held it in her hands.

"No, silly. We have a card that we share. The person in charge of getting the food gets it." Alice explained as she shrugged on her leather jacket and they walked outside. "Tao is over that way." She said as she casually looped her arm around Chloe's, dragging her towards the restaurant.

The redhead giggled. "Okay. Cool." She thought about the pictures her co-worker had been looking at just now and cleared her throat.”Are you in relationship, Alice?" She said, trying to make conversation.

"No, I’m not currently. I'm still getting over my ex fiancé." The taller redhead replied, glancing away awkwardly.

Chloe swallowed heavily. "Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable" She said, immediately regretting the question if it hurt Alice's feelings.

The other girl shook her head furiously. "No, It's okay! My sister said it's good to talk about it. Helps to deal with it a little." 

"Talking is very good. I have an ex fiance too. I know that it's very hard, when you make a promise like that and turns out bad." Chloe said sadly. "What happened?” 

"Well, we...disagreed on a thing. I wanted kids and she didn't. And that’s just something I couldn't put aside for her, you know? It’s my future." Alice explained sadly. "So we ended it." 

“Oh…” The other girl replied, feeling a weird sense of closeness wash over her as she realised that the taller girl had just came out to her. “That sucks, Alice. I’m sorry. It must have been a very difficult decision, but I think it’s very brave of you.” 

“Yeah…” Alice nodded, looking around at the traffic while biting her lip.

Chloe's phone chimed with a message, which made the redhead jump a little. She unlocked her phone and opened the text.

 

_ "Just checking in, is everything alright? Any guys I have to punch? Any animals I have to rescue? No wait, that's your job. Just tell me if I have to come and get you out. xoxo Beca" _

 

She couldn't help but grin like a goof at the text and quickly typed a reply.

 

_ "I'm doing super. I treated Olive (That's the dog) and now I'm getting lunch for the others with a colleague. I feel at home here. I do miss you though. Are you doing okay too? x Chlo" _

 

"That was Beca." She smiled at Alice.

"Oh, what does she want?" Alice asked as a reply came in. 

 

_ "Peachy, doing something I will probably scream at forever. But it'll be worth it. Glad you're doing okay and enjoy your meal. I miss you too. xx Becs" _

 

Chloe smiled. "She just wanted to know if I was doing okay. " She said, proudly.

 

_ "I can't wait to hear about it tonight! I love you ❤" _

 

She texted back and put her phone back in her pocket.

“That’s cute.” Alice commented, smiling at the goofy grin on her coworkers face.

They arrived at the restaurant and ordered what they needed. Chloe marvelled at the amazing amount of food they ordered, deciding that everyone here probably ate a lot more than she was used to. They paid for the food with the card Alice mentioned and walked back to the clinic, making small talk as they both held two food filled bags in their hands. Arriving back, they were greeted with hungry stomachs and cheering.


	20. Strings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sup? (; Enjoy this new update of your (maybe) favorite fic!

As they were eating the Chinese food Alice and Chloe had brought back, the redhead looked around the room and couldn’t help but be surprised at how comfortable she already felt with the people here. Everyone was chatting away excitedly and eating from the various dishes. She smiled to herself as she piled some food on her plate. As she looked around at the others, she realised with a start how little she ate compared to them. She felt a little embarrassed, being used to Beca's accepting manner of her eating. She couldn’t expect the same from the people here, of course. 

"You can grab some more." Luke said with a grin as she watched her portion. “We always get way too much anyway.” 

Chloe shook her head. "I'm fine." She replied, taking a small bite from her food. She noticed Sam smiling understandingly at her from across the table. Luke nodded, though a bit bewildered.

"So Chloe." Bernie said after a while. "I spent some more time with Olive and she seems to like me now. She's such a good girl. I can’t believe the change in her personality, it’s crazy."

The redhead smiled happily. "I'm so glad to hear that!" She leaned forward excitedly. "I want to train her. I wanna make sure she's gonna be someone's best friend!"

"Why not yours?" Alice asked from the other side of the table. "It would be the easiest way." She munched away on her food, the sauce spilling over the edge of her paper plate.

Chloe bit her lip in thought. "I don't really think Beca is a dog person. Plus, we both have jobs. And no garden. It would be unfair to her. She'd be alone a lot."

"Chloe’s right. Olive needs someone who's always there so she doesn't feel like she's gonna be abandoned again." Bernie added. Alice just shrugged and went back to eating the enormous amount of food on her plate.

Chloe nodded too, taking another careful, tiny bite. "All we can do is prepare her for that. I'm sure we can train her and she'll be an amazing friend to someone." She said, after she swallowed. They all nodded and continued eating, making small talk and jokes in the process.

 

"Hey Chloe, could you come to my office for a bit?" Sam asked after they all finished eating.

The redhead nodded, shooting her coworker a smile. She threw away her plate and followed the blonde to her office. Sitting down in the chair opposite Sam’s desk, she cleared her throat. "What's up?" She asked softly. Normally, being called to the boss’ office wasn’t a good thing.

"Just wanted to check in." Sam replied, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "Are they treating you well? How’s your day going? I really hope you like it here."

Chloe’s face softed. "I feel...like...at home. It’s great. I like everyone and I can't wait to do more work with them together." She exclaimed excitedly.

"I’m glad to hear that! It's important to feel well in your work space so you can bring out your best." Sam smiled at the smaller girl. She didn’t let it show, but she had grown very fond of the redhead in front of her already.

"Sam, I really want to thank you. For giving me this chance" Chloe whispered, looking up at the blonde with serious eyes. "I honestly don't take it lightly"

Sam raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think otherwise." She smiled. "I am really looking forward to working with you."

Chloe grinned and nodded. "Same here."

They beamed at each other and the redhead looked at the clock. It was nearing 1 pm. "Do you want me to check on anything before the meeting?" She asked carefully.

"No, let's just sit here and have a stare off." Sam replied, but just then, her phone started ringing."Ah nevermind, I need to take this call. Just be here in half an hour."

Chloe giggled and got up, leaning Sam to take her call. She smiled at Alice, who was helping a patient check in. As she wandered into the lunch room, which was empty, she made herself a cup of tea. She sat down and drank it eagerly, letting out a relaxed sigh as she finally had some time for herself. 

 

On the other side of the city, Beca sat back in her chair, letting out a long breath. Right now, she was stuck on a big decision, and she she needed advice. Picking up her phone, she nervously dialed Chloe's number, hoping not to disturb her.

The redhead was interrupted from her thoughts when her phone rang, scaring her a little. She saw Beca's name flash across the screen and smiled. "Hello, love of my life." She picked up, leaning back in her chair, which creaked a little. "What's the stitch?"

"Why, hello girlfriend. I hope I'm not interrupting something." Beca smiled.

Chloe laughed. "Nope. I have until...2 pm" she said, checking the clock. "What's up?"

"I need advice. I’m working on something and I have two options. A. Go with what I planned and risk getting a lot of shit from some people. Or B. Change it up a bit and kiss my fears goodbye." The brunette said. She sounded really nervous and a little tired.

The redhead hummed. “What kind of backlash are you expecting?" She said, interested. "You know I always think you should do what your heart says"

"Like...People I do not want to talk to ever again contacting me." Beca sighed. "I want to release it unchanged, but... I don't know. It’s hard."

Chloe tapped her chin in thought. "Hmmm... I think you should take the plunge." She said after thinking for a while. “Life’s too short to be careful.” 

"Okay. Will you be there when I do?" The brunette asked shyly.

The other girl nodded. "Of course. Every step of the fucking way." She replied, smiling.

“It’s really weird to hear you swear, but it’s kinda hot too.” Beca chuckled. "Thanks. I'll see you later."

Chloe smiled. "I guess I'm picking up your customs.”

The brunette laughed. “Bye, babe.” 

“Goodbye, love you." The redhead replied and dropped her phone on the table as Beca hung up. She was wondering what the brunette meant with ‘unwanted people coming back into her life’. She realised Beca was probably talking about her new album, but it was still all a bit confusing to her. So, she decided she would ask her later and clear things up.

Reluctantly, she checked the clock. It was getting close to half past 1, so she got up and made her way to Sam's office where the blonde was already waiting. "We're going to drive there. You should probably take off your scrubs, though." Sam said as she let her eyes roam over the redhead’s clothes.

“Right…” Chloe nodded understandingly. She took off her scrubs quickly in the changing room, stowing them away in her locker and then followed the blonde to her car. Chloe sat in the passenger's seat, crossing her legs as Sam started driving. They drove in silence for a while, but Chloe couldn’t handle the unknown for much longer. "So...where are we going exactly?"

"It’s a monthly meet up with other vets in L.A. and around." Sam explained. "I'm gonna introduce you as my new co-owner and we're gonna talk about the annual cat rejection season and how to fight it. We're also gonna work on how we're gonna give away as much animals as we can. Some of them need loving homes." The blonde smiled.

The redhead nodded understandingly. "That's exciting. How we all work together. I didn’t know we did that " She said, her eyes twinkling with inspiration. The radio was playing softly and the sun was shining through the car window, engulfing the inside of the car in a brilliant shine. The redhead felt a rush of happiness going through her, smiling brightly to herself.

 

Not much later, Sam pulled up on a building and they walked in, greeting others who were also on the way to the meeting. Chloe followed the blonde nervously, feeling a little out of place among all these important looking people. They all wore suits and looked much more professional than the redhead did. Once they arrived at the conference room, they all sat down around a big round table. Chloe shuffled awkwardly in the leather seat and sipped her cup of water. She looked up when a woman in her 50s stood up and cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. 

"Thank you for coming in today. I’m glad you’re all here. Sam will start." 

Sam smiled and stood up, straightening her skirt. "Hello everybody. First of all, I’d like to introduce you to someone. This woman to my right is Chloe Beale, the new co-owner of Heart for Animals.” The blonde whipped her hands at the redhead as if she was presenting her. “She just started today, so be nice." She added warningly.

Chloe smiled nervously and greeted the people in the room with a nod. The blonde motioned for her to get up and the redhead did so, although a little anxiously. 

“Uhm...Hello everyone, I'm Chloe and I am very excited to work with Sam and also work together with all of you.” She said, her voice wavering.

"Hey Chloe." The others said in perfect unison. The older woman who spoke before hastily motioned for Chloe to sit back down before speaking again.

"I'm Claire McWright. Owner of Love the Fur. I am basically also the owner of every other veterinary clinic here, at least I funded a lot." She smiled a little cockily. "Now, let's discuss how we're going to fight the annual cat rejection.” She opened up a powerpoint presentation on the board beside her. “What can we do so cats don't end up on the street? Ginny's idea about getting everybody who adopts a cat something nice was a good idea, but will also cost us a lot. We kind of want to avoid that, seeing as funds are low as it is."

Chloe bit her lip as she listened intently to Claire speak. They started brainstorming about ideas, but the redhead stayed quiet for a long time. She didn’t really feel qualified to bring any ideas to the table, seeing as this was her first day anyway. Sam proposed a fair to introduce the cats to people, but it was dismissed because of the costs. Inspired by the idea, the redhead found a sudden rush of confidence and spoke up. "How about a benefit concert? With some artists, we could attract a crowd. And bring in money for the cats." She offered, looking around the room expectantly.

"For that we need to have some kind of contact to some artists. Artists are generally also very expensive. Who's gonna cover that?" Claire asked, her green eyes boring into Chloe’s bright blue ones.

The redhead swallowed. "I know someone..." She saw everyone looking at her, and blushed. "It can be small. Cosy. Intimate. It doesn't have to be that expensive"

"Still. I can’t think of any artist willing to do a concert to raise attention for adopting cats." Claire waved. "Your idea is dismissed."

Chloe looked down. "Okay. Thank you" She said softly. She knew Beca would help, and probably Demi too. But she didn't want to go against what Claire said. She clenched her fist angrily because she knew her idea was great, she just didn’t have the confidence to speak up.

Sam noticed and leaned over to the redhead. "Don't be shy. Go against her." She whispered.

Chloe nodded and cleared her throat nervously. "But...what if I told you that I am….I know an artist who would do anything for me? And who has a very close friendship to Demi Lovato and other artists alike?" She said, her voice uneven at first, but getting stronger.

"Do you really think Demi Lovato would turn up, child?" She sneered at the redhead. 

"Hey, Demi has helped us a lot over the past years. Don't forget that." Sam glared, her dislike for the head of the board obviously showing through her words.

"One day she's not gonna help us anymore. I'm just being real." Claire shrugged. "Who is that alleged ‘friend’ anyway?"

Chloe smiled, leaning forward slightly. "Beca Mitchell. I could call her right now, if you want?" She challenged, cockily. She didn't particularly like this woman's attitude.

"Fine, call her.” Claire waved her hand dismissively, obviously assuming the redhead was bullshitting.

Chloe nodded and took out her phone. She dialed Beca's number, wishing to God that she would pick up. After just one ring, she heard a click. 

" _ Chloe, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen?" _ Beca's worried voice rang through the speaker. The redhead couldn't help but grin. "I'm fine. I have a question for you though. If I proposed a benefit concert to you, where you could show off your music, for a good cause, would you be in?" She said, nervously.

"A benefit concert?" The brunette asked. "To help someone in need? Do you think I'm that nice and helpful? I'd rather roll around in dirt." Claire smirked at Chloe, throwing her a look that said "I told you so", obviously missing the brunette's sarcasm. "Of course I'll do it. What's the cause for?" Beca asked curiously and the older woman’s smile faltered.

The redhead smiled. "Well, you know how I told you about all those stray cats that roam the streets here and get hit by cars and stuff? We are discussing ways to fight the annual cat rejection by giving up as many cats for adoption. But it's hard to raise awareness. So I offered the concert idea. You know, it could be something simple, a small stage and some friends."

"Screw that. Make it big and count me in." Beca replied. "If you’re serious about this, I'd be glad to help planning and organizing it. Maybe I can pull some strings too. Demi and Taylor would love it for sure."

Chloe smirked at the shocked look on Claire's face. "Okay. We'll discuss the details when I get home. Thanks babe, I love you!" She said, ending the phone call. 

As she looked around the table, every single member of the board looked at her with a shocked expression, including Claire.

"So....are we in or?" The redhead said carefully, not daring to celebrate yet.

"I vote yes." Sam spoke up, and the others nodded along. 

"Well, this is a democracy. So I guess we're going with your idea. But, you're gonna be in charge." Claire declared. "If anything goes wrong, you're the one at fault."

Chloe nodded, trusting Beca blindly. "Thank you for giving me this chance, Miss." She said, looking at the older woman with excited eyes.

"Whatever.” The blonde rolled her eyes. “Now. How many animals have you put into loving homes since the last meeting?" Claire asked a person sitting a few seats away from her. 

"We gave away 45." The woman smiled proudly.

Chloe sat down again, a little disappointed at Claire's reaction. She felt Sam squeeze her leg underneath the table and giving her a thumbs up, which made the redhead smile. She listened intently to what Claire had to say.

"That's good. Next?" They went through the room, some answers disappointing, some not. When they got to Sam and Chloe, Sam sighed. "We tried our best but...it wasn't such a good month. We barely got above 10." 

Claire’s face turned angry. "Sam I expected more from you! You need to put more effort into drawing people in." Claire shook her head. "Next!'

Sam nodded, looking down sadly. Chloe made a promise to herself that she would blow Claire away on the next meeting so she’d never see her coworker look this upset ever again. 

The rest of the meeting went along rather smoothly. After it was over, Sam and Chloe went back to the blonde's car, and as soon as they entered, the taller woman let out a long breath of air. "I hate Claire so much." She whispered.

Chloe nodded, agreeing with her. "Well, at least Beca agreed. I think I would have shriveled up in shame if she would have refused." She said, chuckling, hoping she would lighten the mood a little.

Sam giggled. "That would've been bad. I’m proud of you for pushing through, though. I mean it.” The blonde looked at the redhead intently. “You might have just saved our entire company.” 

Chloe blushed. “I mean...all I did was make a call. We still have to see if the plan works out. And seeing as I’m the one in charge, it might just fail miserably.” 

“I’m sure it’s going to work out. I’ve got your back, and so does Beca.” Sam started the engine and started driving back towards the clinic.

 

When they arrived, the blonde got out of the car, stretching her sore muscles. "Man, those meetings always tire me out."

Chloe agreed, yawning. "Today had been amazing, but tiring." She said softly. They got back into the building, and were greeted by Alice, who flashed them a big smile.

"Hey you two. Claire as annoying as always?" She asked as they approached her table. 

"You know it." Sam sighed, looking completely worn out. "I'll be in my office." She waved tiredly before making her way down the hall.

Chloe snickered, leaning against Alice's counter, a little bleary eyed. "Did everything go well while we were away?" She asked the other redhead.

"Groovy like a drive in movie." Alice quoted Snoop and smiled dorkily. The smaller girl laughed at her colleague's silliness and stretched tiredly. "God, today felt like it was like 3 days in one. I really have been out of the game for too long."

"You'll get back used to it." Alice smiled supportively. "It's nearing 5 anyways. Time to pack up."

Chloe nodded, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I'll get my stuff. Wait for me? Then you'll see Beca again." She added with a wink as she made her way over to the meeting room and grabbed her coat. Sam had given her some papers to read through, mostly about what her responsibilities were with co-owning the clinic. She stashed them into her backpack, swaying it onto her back. Before she left, she wanted to check on Olive on last time. Humming, she walked into the dog kennels, letting her hand run along the wall as she walked past the several cages. She smiled as she arrived at Olive’s and saw that she was curled up in the soft dog bed, instead of on the floor like she used to do. She was about to turn around and leave when the dog opened her eyes and got up excitedly, wagging her tail. 

"Hey girl!" Chloe said, laughing. She opened the cage and sat down on the floor, falling over slightly as Olive attacked her with hugs. She patted her lovingly, scratching her head and making baby noises. "I'm going home now. You'll see me tomorrow though!" She said, kissing the top of her soft head. Olive just licked her hands excitedly, obviously not understanding a word the redhead was saying. "Bye honey!" Chloe got up again and waved at the dog, who looked sad to see her go. She locked the cage and smiled once more at the small dog before turning around on her heels and walking back towards the entrance. Bernie was putting on his coat and a scarf, and Chloe noticed Alice waiting for her in a corner, appearing a little nervous. A smile tugged at her lips. It was kinda cute how she could see that the redhead was still freaking out internally because she knew her idol was approaching. Shaking her head, she got out her phone and dialed Beca's number, who immediately accepted the call.

"Why are you calling me?" She asked. For some reason, she sounded a little grumpy.

Chloe laughed. "I just wanted to say that we're done here. So if you could pick me up..." She said, her voice becoming softer at the end of the sentence. 

"What? That is totally unbelievable!" Beca said as she walked into the clinic. "Me picking you up from work, who do you think I am, your maid?" She smiled at her girlfriend from across the room before hanging up. Chloe immediately ran towards Beca, enveloping her in a big hug and giggling into her ear. "I missed you." She whispered, taking in Beca's smell and warmth like an addict.

“Missed you too.” Beca laughed. "Stop inhaling me." She pressed a kiss onto her cheek, before turning towards Alice."I hope she behaved well today." 

The redhead laughed. "Oh yeah totes. Bestest behavior ever." She winked at Chloe, who looked down embarrassingly.

Beca nodded approvingly. “I hope y’all are treating her nicely, or I’m gonna have words.” 

"She's really nice. All of them are, actually" Chloe quickly replied, with a big smile. She poked Alice in the ribs playfully as Bernie came over. 

"Bye Chloe, Today was great! I’ll see you tomorrow." He waved at her and Beca before walking out. "Bye Alice!" He shouted just before the door shut behind him.

"Woah, that guy's surely some eye candy." Beca noted, staring after him.

Chloe laughed. "That was Bernie. And I know right? For some reason, everyone here looks like a model. It's kinda distracting. Oh! You'll never guess who I ran into! I’ll be right back!" She said, and ran away to the meeting room without saying a word. She came back dragging Luke by his arm, pushing him towards Beca.

"Woah." Beca's mouth fell open. "Luke? Damn." She eyed the blonde man unbelievable, who grinned sheepishly. 

"Hey Becky.. Uh Beca. How have you been?"

"Good! It’s so weird to see you." The brunette chuckled. 

"Well, the world surely is a small place." He grinned. He gave all of them a small wave before exiting through the front door. 

Chloe smiled at Beca excitedly. "When he suddenly walked into the cat enclosure, I thought I was having a stroke or something!" She admitted, laughing. "So, with Luke and Bernie, that's basically everyone. You've already met Sam." She said, linking her arm through Beca's. "We can go now.”

"Oh, okay. Bye Alice!" Beca waved at the flustered redhead quickly as Chloe pulled her outside, waving as well.

 

"So. A concert for cats. This is gonna be interesting." The brunette grinned as they made their way over to her parked car.

Chloe nodded smiled brightly. "It's gonna be so cool! We're gonna prove that stupid Claire wrong and adopt out all the kitties!" She said as she practically jumped into the passenger's seat.

"Who's Claire?" Beca asked, getting in the car as well before starting it.

The redhead groaned. "She's the head of the board. Basically my upper boss. She's kind of a bitch." She said, putting her feet up on the dashboard. "Gosh, I am so tired."

"Oh, love those people. Always stand up to them, show them they can't look down on you." Beca said as she turned the corner. 

The other girl grinned.  "That's what Sam said. She shot down my idea of the concert at first."She explained. "But Sam told me not to give up."

"Good." Beca nodded. "I think you'd be pretty hot when you get all business-y and stuff."

Chloe crossed her arms. "Yeah. I mean, I had no idea what I was doing but...I got a little heated. Wanted to prove her wrong." She said, smirking.

Beca put a hand on the redhead’s thigh, squeezing it. "I'm sure you did a great job." She winked. “At least you did better than me. I couldn’t really concentrate on my work because I kept thinking about what you did this morning.” She muttered, which made Chloe’s smirk widen even more. “I’m definitely paying you back for that.” 

“I can’t wait.” The redhead replied cockily.

When they arrived back into the apartment not much later, Chloe hung up her coat and crashed onto the couch, kicking off her heels. "Oh god, I'm so tired" she said, letting her head fall back into the fluffy pillows.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna cook tonight. Some pasta with tomato sauce, simple and light." Beca smiled as she took off her jacket “You can chill here while I prepare it.” She winked at her girlfriend before making her way over to the kitchen. 

Chloe smiled happily. "What did I do to deserve her?" She mumbled to herself, laying her head down on the couch and closing her eyes tiredly.

 

Beca finished cooking and piled the spaghetti onto two plates, putting them on the dining table, which was set with some candles and the lights turned down low romantically. After nodding approvingly, she went into the living room to fetch Chloe only to find that the redhead had fallen asleep, curled up on the couch, her arms crossed across her chest protectively. The brunette smiled softly to herself before walking over, wrapping her arms around the sleeping girl from behind and pressing a kiss onto her cheek. "Wakey wakey, sleepyhead." She whispered into the redhead’s ear.

Chloe stirred awake, moaning softly. "Hmm?" She replied sleepily. "Is it morning already?” She rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"You fell asleep on the couch, nerd." Beca rolled her eyes. "Come on, dinner's ready."

Chloe frowned and got up from the couch with a groan. “I swear I went to bed.” She sat down on the chair at the dining table and smiled excitedly at the food. "This looks yum!" She said, praising her girlfriend's cooking

"Thanks, babe." Beca smiled softly as she twirled some spaghetti around her fork. "I cannot believe you met Luke!"

The redhead nodded as she took a bite as well, slurping up the pasta from her fork. "I know! He's a DJ now and works at the clinic part time." She explained, smiling. "It surprised me so much when he suddenly walked in. You know, I always thought you would end up with him instead of Jesse."

"Luke? God no. That boy had the looks but not the personality." Beca rolled her eyes, laughing. "I would've DJ'd too if I didn't stay with the Bellas. Does that mean I would I have ended up working as a vet as well?"

Chloe giggled. "You’re right...Luke is not the smartest tool in the shed. And there is no way you would have ended up being a vet...no offense.” She smiled sweetly at her girlfriend. “I still can't believe you never told us about your DJing in the first year. When you showed it to us, I was so surprised."

"Well, I had to keep my mysterious vibe." The brunette shrugged, smirking. "Otherwise I would've been a lot less interesting."

The other girl laughed. "You were pretty interesting." She took another bite when she suddenly remembered. "Oh yeah, Luke invited us to his show this Friday!"

"He did?" Beca asked. "Well, I mean.. I always thought his stuff was pretty sick, so I would love to check it out." She smiled.

Chloe agreed happily. "Me too. I haven't actually gone out in such a long while..." She admitted, a little sad.

"Well then it's really time for it!" The brunette replied. "I can’t wait for you to let loose, because I know what happens when you get drunk." She said suggestively, smirking.

Chloe blushed. "Nothing happens when I get drunk!" She exclaimed, looking down at her plate embarrassedly while she twirled spaghetti around her fork. They ate in silence for a little while, when the redhead spoke up again. "I had Chinese food at work today."

"And you didn't even call me? You know I love Chinese food." Beca mumbled, offended. Her face softened however. “How was it? Was everything okay?"

Chloe giggled. "Yes. It was nice. I tried to pick a portion that would fit me, and no one cared too much about how little I ate. Sam seemed understanding as well." She said proudly.

"That's good!" Beca smiled. She resumed eating, a nagging feeling creeping up on her. Deciding it was time, she cleared her throat. “Speaking of food...There’s something I need to tell you.” She said, her face serious.

“What, did something bad happen?” The redhead looked really scared all of a sudden.

“No, not really...it’s just, ever since we ended up in the hospital, there’s been articles roaming around that commented on your weight.” Beca looked at her girlfriend apologetically. “We tried our best to hide most of them...but...some of them still got out. So I don't know if Sam or that... secretary will ask about it or if they even read it. Maybe they just think that's how you look. Though one source compared pics from our Bella years and thought up all kinds of theories..." The brunette sighed. She had been putting off talking about this to her girlfriend, but she realised she couldn’t really keep hiding the truth from her, especially now that she was going out into the world again. The more Chloe had appeared in public, the more the paparazzi had written about her. “I just want you to be prepared that your colleagues might find out about your eating problem. Or maybe they already have.”

Chloe's eyes widened. "How did they find those pictures of me?" She said, looking down at her plate as she felt embarrassment wash over her, imagining Alice or Sam reading about her situation and the state she was in when she arrived at Beca's house. She remembered how Alice was looking at pictures of Beca and her before, and swallowed heavily.

"They took pictures...when you threw up out of the car when we first went out for dinner. And when we got into the fight with Chicago. Not when you arrived or something." Beca reassured her. "And the Bellas pictures were public anyway, so... " The brunette bit her lip. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Chlo.”

The redhead let out a breath. "I just hope Sam and Alice don't go and assume things" She said sadly, the whole revelation leaving her a bit shocked.  

"I'm sure they won't." Beca smiled, squeezing her girlfriend's hand supportively. “But maybe you should tell them yourself before it’s too late.”

The other girl nodded, swallowing heavily. “Okay.” She suddenly didn't feel very hungry anymore.

Beca continued to eat silently, noticing that Chloe was only toying around with her food. "Are you okay?" She asked softly after a while, motioning towards the redhead's plate.

Chloe took a deep breath. "Actually...no. I can’t believe people would write such hurtful things about me. I didn’t do anything wrong. " She said in a small voice. Her eyes filled with tears.

“Oh no, honey.” The brunette quickly scraped back her chair, getting up and hurrying over to the redhead, wrapping her up in her arms. She pressed soft kisses onto her temple, her thumb running over Chloe’s cheek soothingly. “Of course you didn’t do anything wrong. They’re just assholes and I hope every single one of them steps in shit soon.” She whispered softly, and the redhead laughed softly through her tears.  They sat in silence for a while and Beca never let go of the taller girl. After some time, Chloe stopped crying and she just buried her face into the brunette’s shoulder. Beca stroked her girlfriend’s back lovingly, feeling her calm down.

“I feel a little bit better now. Thank you.” The redhead whispered after a while.

"I'm glad." Beca smiled. “Hey, I know something that will cheer you up." She stood up and walked towards her studio. She grabbed her guitar and came back out, plopping back down on her chair. "A small song for you, m'lady?" She asked.

Chloe smiled, teary eyed, and nodded.

Beca began strumming the guitar. She hummed a little before breaking out into song.

 

_ If we knew, then what we do now _

_ We'd hold our hands and take a bow _

_ Together we would stand our ground and fight _

 

_ I remember the night we got drunk, I got sick on the subway _

_ With your hands on my face said, it don't matter, babe _

_ 'Cause I'm always on your side _

 

_ Life isn't pretty, we all get a little wrecked sometimes _

_ If God's listening, people think you're out of your mind _

_ Even if you believe it _

_ Through all the hard times, I'm on your side _

_ On your side _

_ I'm on your side _

_ On your side _

 

_ I still wear your t-shirt out _

_ All the ink is faded now _

_ I wonder who you're dreaming of tonight _

 

_ I remember the night when you packed all your bags in the doorway _

_ Said, I don't wanna fight, you can leave, but remember I'm always  _

_ On your side _

 

_ Life isn't pretty, we all get a little wrecked sometimes _

_ If God's listening, people think you're out of your mind _

_ Even if you believe it _

_ Through all the hard times, I'm on your side _

_ On your side _

_ I'm on your side _

_ On your side _

 

_ On your side _

_ Life isn't pretty, we all get a little wrecked sometimes _

_ If God's listening, people think you're out of your mind _

_ Even if you believe it _

_ Through all the hard times, I'm on your side _

 

She let the last strum ring out into the apartment, looking at her girl with a sheepish smile.

Chloe had tears glistening in her eyes, a few escaping and rolling across her cheeks. "Thank you." She whispered, feeling her heart swell with adoration at the supportive words from the girl she loved so much.

"Jesus, I didn't mean to make you cry again!" Beca gasped and immediately moved over, wiping Chloe's tears away. "I love you."

The redhead laughed through her tears. "That's okay. I'm okay. You just...your voice touches my heart." she said, sniffing. "Please, continue."

"Okay fine. But just one more." Beca grinned widely. She grabbed her guitar and began strumming a melody again.

 

_ Staring at the moon so blue _

_ Turning all my thoughts to you _

_ I was without hopes or dreams _

_ I tried to dull an inner scream but you _

_ Saw me through _

 

_ Walking on a path of air _

_ See your faces everywhere _

_ As you melt this heart of stone _

_ You take my hand to guide me home and now _

_ I'm in love _

 

_ You took my heart away _

_ When my whole world was gray _

_ You gave me everything _

_ And a little bit more _

_ And when it's cold at night _

_ And you sleep by my side _

_ You become the meaning of my life _

 

_ Living in a world so cold _

_ You are there to warm my soul _

_ You came to mend a broken heart _

_ You gave my life a brand new start and now _

_ I'm in love _

 

_ You took my heart away _

_ When my whole world was gray _

_ You gave me everything _

_ And a little bit more _

_ And when it's cold at night _

_ And you sleep by my side _

_ You become the meaning of my life _

 

_ Holding your hand _

_ I won't fear tomorrow _

_ Here where we stand _

_ We'll never be alone _

 

_ You took my heart away _

_ When my whole world was gray _

_ You gave me everything _

_ And a little bit more _

_ And when it's cold at night _

_ And you sleep by my side _

_ You become the meaning of my life _

 

_ You become the meaning of my life _

_ You become the meaning _

_ You become the meaning of, my life _

 

Beca was crying herself at this point. Chloe looked at her with a loving smile, her heart beating loudly in her chest. When the brunette started crying, Chloe's eyes filled with tears again as well. As soon as the song finished, the wrapped her arms around Beca's neck, sniffling into her shoulder. "I love you so much." she whispered, muffled.

"I love you too, weirdo." Beca grinned and kissed the side of Chloe's head. She pulled away and smiles shyly. “I wrote those songs today.” 

Chloe let out a deep sigh. "I loved them. And...I just...I don't want to ever, ever be alone again. I need to work on myself, but I know that you'll support me. And that helps." She said, leaning back from the hug.

"Always." Beca smiled before leaning in, kissing her girlfriend lovingly. 


	21. Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ho! We're back with a new chapter. Hope you enjoy this ;) It's gonna get sweet as fuck! Disclaimer: The following place is purely fictional and was created for the sake of this story. If the place does exist, then great!

“Hey Chlo, can I kidnap you tonight?” Beca asked as she watched Chloe dance to the radio music in the kitchen and prepare breakfast with a soft smile.

“Normal people ask if they can take their partner on a date.” The redhead shot back. “This makes it sound like you’re going to kill me or something.”

“We both know I don’t do normal.” The brunette rolled her eyes with a smile, taking a sip from her coffee. “But no, I won’t kill you. Just a fun surprise date.”

“Do I have to wear anything special?” Chloe asked as she pulled the pan with the eggs and bacon from the stove.

“Nope, casual is good. You’re gonna blow me away with whatever you wear anyways.” Beca grinned as she got up from the counter, helping her girlfriend set the table.

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Mitchell.” The taller girl smirked, something she apparently had picked up from the brunette now.

“I beg to differ, Miss Beale.” Beca hummed as she set the pan Chloe had in her hand down on the dining table before putting her hands on the redhead’s hips. “I think I’ve got everything I want right in my hands.”

Chloe blushed lightly and looked into her girlfriend’s eyes. “Miss Beale huh? Am I your teacher now?”

“Yes, Miss Beale. Is there any way I can get my grade up?” The brunette smirked, winking at the redhead suggestively.

Chloe chuckled and shook her head. “Stop it.”

“Huh, guess I need to study. But the human analogy is so much more interesting if you see it up close…” The brunette leaned closer, whispering. “Especially the more private parts.” 

The redhead giggled, a blush apparent on her cheeks. “Save that for later. I’m not gonna be late for work again just because you can’t keep it in your pants.”

The brunette frowned with a huff. “What, when you’re feeling like it I have to oblige, but when I feel like it you hit the brakes? That is so unfair.”

“Touché.” Chloe smiled. “But you’re always feeling like it. Just as I am.”

“So why not give into it? We can make it quick.” Beca whispered as she leaned down, kissing the taller girl’s neck.

“Because I tried really hard to cook you breakfast and I plan on eating most of it, even if it’s hard. Plus I don’t want to be late.” The redhead replied, trying to sound firm but not really succeeding. She pushed her girlfriend away before sitting down, crossing her arms. The brunette whined and threw herself onto the chair, looking like a five year old who just got denied ice cream. “Fineeeee.”

Chloe smiled innocently, putting some eggs and bacon on her plate carefully.

Beca stuck her tongue out at her girlfriend before taking some food herself.

 

Later that day, after both girls had returned back home again from work, they were getting ready for their date. No matter how hard Chloe pried, she just couldn’t get her girlfriend to open up about where they were going. She tried to bribe her by offering to cook for a week, to clean for a month, to do a quick handjob, but the brunette had declined everything. Not even the redhead’s secret weapon, alias her pout, had worked on Beca. The taller girl was honestly impressed that Beca didn’t even  hesitate when she told her that she would still not be telling her. Usually the brunette crumbled in seconds whenever the redhead brought out the pout. So wherever they were going, it was going to be mind blowing. At least, that’s what Chloe told herself to keep calm over the possibility that Beca was really out to kill her. You knew know, right?

 

The redhead was currently in her room, trying to pick a nicer outfit than the one she had worn today. She had narrowed down her options to a floral skirt paired with a black loose shirt and a leather jacket over it, or a white and black checkered flannel with black jeans, along with a black beanie. She looked between the outfits with pursed lips before deciding on the flannel one, quickly putting it on. She walked into the bathroom to touch up her makeup, putting on some light lipstick. She hummed to a song that’s been stuck in her mind, still wondering what Beca had planned. After she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom. “Becs?” She called out.

“Kitchen!” The brunette replied, her voice muffled.

Chloe smiled as she skipped into the kitchen. “I’m ready.”

Beca put down her glass of water. “Let me see.” She herself had gone with black jeans and flannel as well, just with a blue and red striped and checkered one. And she put a necklace around her neck, which dangled along as she moved towards the redhead. Her eyes shone brilliantly at the sigh in front of her. She grabbed one of her girlfriend’s hands, lifting it up before twirling her. “Yep, just as I thought. You blew me away.” She smiled.

Chloe smacked the smaller girl’s arm playfully, ducking her head as she blushed. “Stop being so cheesy. But thank you.” She whispered.

“I can’t help it when you just slay in every outfit you wear.” The brunette grinned, pecking the redhead’s lips. “Plus, I need your trust so I can lure you out and kill you.”

Chloe’s eyes widened comically and Beca chuckled. “Calm down, I’m not gonna kill you. I promise. Why don’t you believe me? You trust me, right?” She asked, looking a little offended.

“Of course I do! I just never know with you.” The redhead shrugged. “Now take me on that date! The suspense is killing me.” 

“Patience, lady.” The brunette rolled her eyes. “I need to finish my drink first. Your look got me thirsty.” With that, she turned around to grab her drink again, downing it. She smacked her lips together, putting the glass into the sink. “Yep, now we can go.” 

“How are you always so smooth with your flirting?” Chloe asked, a little jealousy dripping in her voice. “I never know what to say.”

“Well, I’m just experienced.” Beca shrugged as they put on their shoes. “And by that I mean spending a lot of time online and reading bad pick up lines, and sometimes, rather good ones. And then I just use the right ones to my advantage.”

“Wow. You’re such a nerd.” The redhead chuckled, earning a light shove from her girlfriend. “A cute nerd.” 

“I feel flattered.” The brunette chuckled as they made their way to the car, getting in and driving away.

 

“We’ve been driving for quite some time now. Where are we going, Becs?” Chloe asked after a while, scrolling through her phone for a new playlist. She felt nervousness pooling through her stomach, the thought of somewhere unknown making her uneasy. 

“We’re there soon. Just wait.” Beca chuckled as she took an exit. Her girlfriend did look a little terrified, she realised. She drove the road up to a parking space in front of a forest. “Good, stop one is reached.”

The redhead looked through the window carefully, eyeing the forest a little intimidatedly. “Do we really have to go in there?” She whispered.

“Yep. It’ll be worth it, though.” The brunette smiled as she exited the car. “Come on, trust me. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

The taller girl took a deep breath before getting out of the car as well, immediately stepping in a puddle of mud. She scowled at her now dirty converse shoes. Looking between her the forest and her girlfriend who was waiting for her with an outstretched hand, she slowly took it, nodding. “Okay, let’s go.”

Beca shot her a huge smile before dragging her along into the forest. A few birds were still singing, and the somewhat refreshing forest air engulfed them. The trees were raising high into the sky, blocking out most of the light out, giving it an eerie look. 

As much as Chloe trusted her girlfriend, she just couldn’t shake the feeling that the brunette was out to murder her in the depths of the forest they were currently walking in. She wondered what she did to have caused the bloodlust in the smaller girl. Then she thought about if she should call someone secretly. Aubrey or the police maybe. Though, if she was to call her best friend, it was guaranteed that the blonde would turn up in no time and murder Beca first. The redhead didn’t want that. She wondered how the brunette would kill her. Would she use a knife? A gun? An axe? No wait, where would she hide it?  Her eyes flicked over to Beca briefly, trying to see if she was hiding a weapon somewhere. Maybe it’s already at the place where she decided beforehand to kill Chloe. Because Beca surely would have planned this. Chloe could totally see the months, no, YEARS of planning the brunette could have put into this. Maybe the moment had finally come for the brunette to get back at the redhead for barging into her shower all those years ago.

“Chloe? Hey, earth to Chloe!” Beca called out.

The girl in question shook her head, focusing her eyes on her girlfriend. “What?”

“I can literally hear the wheels turning in your head. And you started gripping my hand tighter. What the hell were you thinking about?” The small girl asked confusedly, although worriedly. 

“Uh…” Chloe flushed bright red. “Uhm… Just… How you were going to kill me?” She confessed quietly.

“Oh god, Chlo. I am not going to kill you.” The brunette bursted out laughing as the taller girl pouted at her. “No, no, I swear. The reason I brought you into this forest in the first place is because of this.” She stopped, motioning in front of them.

The redhead teared her eyes away, only for her jaw to drop to the floor. They had reached a clearing, and in that clearing was a small fair. Chloe scanned over it, her eyes widening in amazement. Near them was a a line of small swing boats, currently being used by a few children with their parents. The sight made the redhead smile. Next to the swings was a small food booth, stocked with candy hearts, chocolate covered grapes and bananas and what else candy you could think of. Opposite to it was a bumper car venue with children driving around and laughing. Loud music was blaring from the speakers and lights were flashing all over the floor of the fair. Next to the bumper cars was a small ferris wheel that moved at a slow, gentle pace. It was decorated with fairy lights, giving it a magical vibe. On the far end was a tent where soft music could be heard, and through the entrance you could see benches and tables built up, with families and friends scattered on them, eating, drinking and having fun. There were a few more food booths, along with a shooting range and even a swing ride. On the left side there were a few benches behind a railing, facing the setting sun. Beneath the sun was a part of L.A., basking in what was left of the evening sun. “Becs… I…” Chloe couldn’t even formulate words to describe the feeling bubbling up in her stomach.

“Still think I want to murder you?” Beca smiled softly. “Come on, let’s grab some food and then have some fun.” 

Chloe kept opening and closing her mouth, too stunned to say anything. The smaller girl chuckled before she pressed a soft kiss onto the redhead’s lip. “Stop being a fish.”

The taller girl stared at her girlfriend before she pulled her into a tight hug. “I am so sorry for ever assuming you wanted to murder me.” She whispered, blinking back tears. “I know we haven’t done anything yet, but I already love it. Thanks for bringing me out here.”

Beca snuggled her chin into Chloe’s neck with a soft smile. “You’re more than welcome.” She pulled away. “Now let’s seriously grab something to eat, I’m starving.”

The redhead sniffled with a huge grin. “Of course.” She let herself be dragged along by the brunette, who seemed to have difficulties picking what to eat. Eventually, she settled for hot dogs. “You want anything?” Beca asked her girlfriend as she squirted several toppings onto her hot dog. The redhead shyly shook her head, eyeing the hotdogs with a frown. The brunette shrugged and together they walked over to a high table to eat properly. Beca kept stuffing more than she should into her mouth, continuously dropping her toppings into her small box and getting ketchup and mustard around her mouth area. Chloe just kept watching her with a giggle, sometimes bringing up a finger to wipe away the sauces, either choosing to lick it up or wipe it on the tissue they got from the vendor. She knew after a few times that Beca kept “accidentally” getting ketchup and/or mustard on her face only to see the redhead lick it up. She enjoyed this light flirting, loving to be in charge of the teasing for once.

 

After they finished eating, they strolled around the fair, looking at the different attractions. “So, what do we tackle first?” The brunette asked, her eyes already trained on the bumper cars.

“Bumper cars?” Chloe suggested with a chuckle, already knowing what reaction she’d get.

“Fuck yes. I love you.” Beca dragged her to the ride, buying each of them two tokens. “You’re going down, Beale.” She warned as she handed her girlfriend the tokens.

“Bring it, Mitchell.” The redhead challenged, and both of them hopped into their respective cars, getting ready for the start signal, tokens in hand, hovering them over the slot. As soon as the signal sounded they inserted the tokens before pressing the gas.

The brunette immediately dashed forward, turning the wheel so she didn’t steer into the opposite wall, ready to take course on her girlfriend. She had to laugh when she saw that Chloe hadn’t driven forward, but rather backwards, and was struggling to control her car. “Just keep turning it until you drive forward!” She shouted.

“Thanks, I totally didn’t know that!” The redhead replied frustratedly, but kept turning until she was finally driving forward, immediately colliding with Beca who had used the chance to build up some speed so they were both bouncing back. 

“Sorry.” The small girl mouthed with a grin as she turned her wheel, driving backwards effortlessly.

“I’ll get you back for that!” Chloe called after her, deciding to go hot on her girlfriend’s heels. But of course, the brunette was faster, so she needed another plan. She grinned as she cut Beca off, successfully colliding with her. “Take that!”

The brunette wanted to say something but was cut off as a small boy with his father bumped against them, making the boy squeal with excitement. “Oh, I think we got a new opponent. Chloe, let’s get him.” She smiled as the boy gasped and usher his dad that he had to save them.

The redhead nodded and they split up, deciding to approach them from both sides. But before Beca could collide with them, she swerved, hitting the redhead instead.

“Hey, I thought we were a team!” Chloe protested, anger dripping in her voice.

“Decided to change sides.” The brunette shrugged nonchalantly before sticking out her tongue, smoothly driving away and promptly into the boy and his dad. She gasped, not expecting the collision. “Huh, apparently I’m back on your team.” She noted as the dad drove around her, the boy laughing.

Another signal sounded, letting the cars come to a halt.

“Aw, I was just getting into it…” The redhead frowned. She was angry at Beca for turning on her.

“We still got another token. Round two?” Beca smirked.

“You’re on.” Chloe nodded. She desperately wanted to win this time. But her girlfriend seemed to be crazy skilled with bumper cars for some reason, indicating that she probably drove them a lot. However, that didn’t mean she couldn’t beat her. The tall girl was set on her win, a smirk playing on her lips. As the signal sounded again, she inserted her token, driving straight into the brunette. She smiled victoriously as she pulled away from the stunned girl.

“Oh you’re so on.” Beca exclaimed as she pressed the gas pedal, chasing after her girlfriend.

They squealed and laughed as they kept chasing each other and bumping their cars together. The brunette resumed showing off, like how she drove over the field completely backwards without a problem, even successfully bumping into Chloe before speeding off forward again, sticking out her tongue. After the signal sounded again, they stepped out, laughing. “Did you know I love bumper cars?” Beca asked as she wrapped an arm around the redhead’s waist, pulling her close as they walked. She had noticed a soft frown forming on her face and knew she probably caused it by being so awesome at bumper car rides. 

“I totally didn’t notice it at all. Since when?” Chloe asked, her eyes scanning over the fair, frustration still evident in her face.

“Well, I just loved it ever since I sat in one. As soon as my dad let me drive alone, I built up my skills. You never lose ‘em. I hang out here a lot when the fair’s in town.” The brunette mused as she looked around. She spotted the redhead’s stressed out look and smiled. “Let’s go with something calmer. Care for a swing in a boat, my lady?”

“Okay.” The redhead nodded, and felt her girlfriend tug her along towards the colorful boats. 

Beca paid for a five minute ride, letting Chloe step in first before she got in herself. She waited until the redhead was seated before she nodded at the guy who gave them a push. Then, she started rocking her feet to keep the boat swinging.

“You don’t have to swing the boat for five minutes.” The taller girl smiled up at her girlfriend, her hand holding onto the pole next to her. “I can do it too.” 

“Nonsense.” The brunette shook her head. “Let me be romantic here.”

Chloe chuckled as she felt the wind blow through her hair. She looked at the fair, her thoughts wandering. She couldn’t believe she was here with Beca right now, on a normal date, having the time of her life. Months ago she never would have imagined something like this to be possible, still being too deep in her funk to even dream about something like this. She found Beca’s idea, bringing her to the fair, quite cute, and it made her heart flutter. Smiling, she wondered how her girlfriend could manage to do that, even after eleven years of knowing each other. “I can swing now, if you want.” She said after a while, looking back up at the brunette.

Beca shook her head, a soft smile playing her lips. “I’m fine, Chlo.”

“Then I’ll join you.” The redhead huffed, carefully standing up, using the poles to her side to lift herself up so she was face to face with her girlfriend. She also started rocking her feet, resulting in the boat swinging a little higher. “See?”

“You’re relentless.” The brunette huffed, but smiled and leaned forward to peck the taller girl’s lips. “But I love you anyways.”

Chloe grinned, pecking her girlfriend right back. “I love you too.”

 

After they got off the swing, Beca got herself a crepe with Nutella, munching on it happily, even if it was still too hot. “A burnt mouth is tolerable when the stomach is happy.” She mused as Chloe shook her head with a disbelieving smile. She herself had gotten a crepe with applesauce and cinnamon and took a careful bite. 

“Whatever you say. If you complain about it tomorrow, you gotta remind yourself that you brought this on yourself.” The redhead shrugged as she stole a bite from the brunette’s crepe.

“Hey!” The brunette protested. “Not fair! You’ve got your own!.”

“I just wanted to try yours.” Chloe smiled sheepishly and Beca rolled her eyes.

“Whatever.” They finished eating in silence, smiling at eachother every now and then.

“What do you want to do next?” Beca asked as she took a sip of the water bottle they brought. 

The redhead pursed her lips in thought, looking at the different attractions. “How good are you with rifles?” She asked, her eyes trained on the stuffed animals that were displayed.

“Pretty good, why?” The brunette asked with a full mouth, seeing as she had stuffed the last bit of her crepe in it.

Chloe looked at her with big eyes. Beca furrowed her brows and looked at the shooting range, slowly connecting the dots. “You want me to win you something?” 

The redhead nodded and the smaller girl sighed, swallowing. “Okay, let’s go.”

Chloe squealed and dragged her girlfriend to the booth, already eyeing the stuffed animals more.

“How much for the stuffed animals?” Beca asked the guy behind the booth, leaning on it casually.

“You get 50 shots, you gotta shoot every star hung out here. It’s 50 stars, so 50 shots. If you can do it, you get the stuffed animal.” The man replied with a southern accent. He was wearing a cowboy hat and sporting a giant moustache.

“Alright, challenge accepted.” The brunette slammed a few dollar bills on the counter. “Hand me a rifle.” 

The guy nodded and took a rifle from the pile, charging it with 50 shots. “Good luck.”

Beca put the gun against her shoulder, using the lense with the red dot as support to locate the stars. She started shooting the first ones, successfully taking them down and reloading after each shot. She smiled confidently, continuing with the others. 

Chloe watched her girlfriend in amazement, feeling a jolt of excitement with every shot that hit. “You’re amazing, Beca.” She whispered, which made the brunette smile.

Beca’s vision started blurring after a while, so she looked up, blinking a few times to focus back on shooting the stars. When she was 48 stars down, she took a deep breath. She couldn’t screw up now. She looked at Chloe who looked at her intently, her breath obviously on hold, her eyes big. The brunette smiled at her before focusing back on the stars. She successfully shot down the 49th. She reloaded and quickly aimed her rifle at the 50th star and shot it without a problem, the sound of the shot lingering in the air.

“That is 50 stars. Good job, little missy. Which animal shall it be?” The guy asked, looking impressed at her skills.

Beca couldn’t focus on him though as Chloe wrapped her arms around her, squealing so loudly into her ear that it started to ring. “I love you so much, Becs! You’re so awesome, the best girlfriend I could ask for.” She pressed a wet kiss onto the smaller girl’s cheek.

“Thanks.” The brunette giggled as she put the rifle down. “What animal do you want, baby?” 

“Uhhh…” The redhead looked up at the selection. Many kinds of animals were displayed, some bigger than others. She eyed a fluffy looking elephant, considering it in her mind. Shaking her head briefly, she looked further. Then her eyes fell onto a huge shark, laying down on a shelf somewhat higher. Her eyes widened and she pointed her hand up at it. “The shark!” She exclaimed.

The guy nodded and got out a ladder to grab it for her. “Here you go. Have fun ladies.” He smiled, adding a wink. 

Beca nodded at him before turning to Chloe, who hugged her new toy tightly.

“It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!” She exclaimed, burying her face in it.

“Are you seriously quoting Despicable Me right now?” The brunette asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Yes. But you have to feel how soft he is!” The redhead stretched out the shark so her girlfriend could feel it.

“He? You already got a name?” Beca grinned as she ran her hands over the soft material. “Very fluffy indeed.” She nodded approvingly. 

“Yes. His name is Larry.” Chloe nodded, snuggling into him again. 

“Well, nice to meet you, Larry.” The brunette laughed at the silly name, shaking the shark’s fin. She let her eyes roam over the rest of the rides. “So, ferris wheel or swing ride?”

“Swing ride.” The redhead replied and looped her arm through the smaller girl’s. She held the shark underneath her other arm, making her look extremely silly. 

“Okay.” Beca laughed at her girlfriend’s adorableness. “Ferris wheel after that?” 

Chloe swallowed heavily at how high the wheel went, but nodded. “Okay.” 

They walked towards the swing ride and took their seats next to each other, the brunette gently swaying her seat as she waited for the ride to start. She laughed at the sigh of her girlfriend, who had squashed Larry between her and her seat. When the ride finally started, they laughed and whooped against the wind, holding hands as they whirled around. Chloe even started singing “I believe I can fly” to which Beca joined in a heartbeat. They were almost sad as the ride slowed down and they were forced to get up again. 

They strolled towards the ferris wheel, the redhead suddenly getting reluctant. “What is it?” The brunette asked worriedly. “You don’t feel good?”

“No, it’s just… It’s kinda high..” Chloe whispered, looking at the ground.

“Don’t worry. I’ll hold you tightly. Nothing will happen to you.” Beca reassured her girlfriend, pushing a few strands of hair out of her face. She had totally forgotten about Chloe’s fear of heights.

The redhead nodded, looking at the setting sun. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

They got in a cart and waited to be wheeled to the top. The further they moved away from the ground, the tighter Chloe’s grip on the brunette’s hand became. Beca simply put an arm around her girlfriend, kissing her cheek. “Focus on the sunset. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Y-yeah.” The redhead nodded, her knuckles turning white. The cart slowed to a halt, leaving them on top. It swayed slightly as it stopped. “I can’t do this, Becs.” Chloe whispered, panic evident in her voice.

“You can. I’m here with you. I got you in my arms and I’m not letting go. Ever.” The brunette said firmly, turning her girlfriend’s head towards her. Her scared eyes were glistening in the evening light, and her face was basked in a golden light. There was also a bit of a shadow being thrown on her face due to her nose, but Beca could swear she had never seen something so beautiful. She leaned forward, capturing Chloe’s lips. She kissed her slowly, taking her time. She could feel the redhead becoming less tense and much more calmer. She even felt a hand on her cheek, which made her smile. She pulled away, resting her forehead against the taller girl’s forehead. “Better?”

“Yeah.” Chloe replied quietly before capturing Beca’s lips again, this time in a much more needy kiss. She put both hands on the brunette’s cheeks, pulling her closer. When she felt Beca deepen the kiss, she whimpered softly, her stomach doing somersaults. 

They got yanked apart as the cart started moving down again, and they looked at each other shocked before grinning goofily. Back down on the ground, Chloe wobbled a bit and the brunette supported her as they made their way over to the benches, sitting down and looking over L.A. as it got a slight reddish tone due to the setting sun. “This is much better to watch on the ground.” The redhead noted as she snuggled into Beca.

“Maybe.” The smaller girl grinned, marveling at the sight of the colors of the town changing the deeper the sun sank. “It’s so weird that sunsets don’t take that long. Like, give it a few minutes and then the sun is already half gone.”

“Compared to the rest of the day, sunsets and sunrises really seem to happen fast.” Chloe agreed as she watched the cars drive by on the roads below them. 

“Just like… Nyoom.” Beca chuckled, making a movement with her hand. The redhead giggled along and they fell silent, watching the sunset. The brunette let her hand dangle off the side of Chloe’s shoulder, and the taller girl absentmindedly played with said hand. Larry was squashed between them, the redhead using him as a pillow. They watched as the sun slowly disappeared behind a few hills, slowly darkening L.A.. The lights started turning on automatically, and soon the city was glistening with electric light. The cars turned on their headlights, and it was fun to watch the headlights disappear behind buildings or trees and then pop up again. The sky was turning darker, and when it was finally dark enough, the stars appeared. Both girls looked up, Chloe gasping. “This is more stars than I’ve seen in a long time. The last time was back home, when my parents were still alive.”

“Well, there are almost no lights around here, so it allows us to gawk deeper into the universe.” Beca smiled, running her fingers over the redhead’s neck. “It makes you feel kind of small, doesn’t it?”

The taller girl shuddered slightly. “Yeah. Like… It’s so huge. And we’re so small compared to that. Not even taller than an atom or something. And so much is still unexplored.”

“Do you think there’s extraterrestrial life out there?” The brunette asked.

“Maybe. I mean… Why should there not be other forms of life out there? And if there is, we would be extraterrestrial life to them. But it would be really interesting to exchange our cultures then.” Chloe mused, running her hand over her girlfriend’s thigh.

“Yeah.” Beca hummed. “Do you think we’d be at war on an intergalactic base then? I mean, exchanging cultures is great and all, but even we had wars because of it. If we don’t get along among each other, what promises that we’ll get along with aliens?”

“I guess you’re right.” The redhead huffed. They fell silent again, caressing each other absentmindedly as they gawked into the sky. A shooting star flew by, making the brunette smile. “You made a wish?” She asked, kissing her girlfriend’s head.

“I think so. And you?” The taller girl replied, looking at the other girl.

“Well. Most of my wishes came true, so I don’t have a lot left to wish for. But… There is one wish I hope to get fulfilled.” Beca confessed.

“What is it?” Chloe pried, looking at her girlfriend with interest.

“If I tell you it won’t come true. I don’t want to risk that.” The brunette grinned sheepishly. 

“Fineeeeee.” The redhead frowned as she sat up. “Hey Becs?”

“Yeah?” The smaller girl replied.

“I seriously want to thank you for this night. I will cherish it forever and treasure it in my heart.” Chloe smiled as she took her girlfriend’s hands in hers.

“That was so fucking cheesy. I love it.” Beca chuckled as she squeezed the redhead’s hands. “You’re welcome.”

Chloe hummed as she leaned forward, capturing the brunette’s lips in a caring and loving kiss. 

Beca wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and pulled her closer, reciprocating the kiss with a soft hum. She felt the redhead’s arm shuffle weirdly and pulled away to look into a camera. “Really, Chlo?” She asked. “Capturing a kiss without my consent?”

“Shut up, you love it. Don’t think I don’t notice when you take photos of us kissing.” The taller girl huffed.

“Touché.” The brunette grinned. “Let me see it.”

Chloe nodded and tapped on the camera roll, opening the picture. Both had to smile at it. “We look so comfortable and happy with kissing each other.” The redhead whispered.

“That’s because I feel that way when I kiss you.” Beca admitted, pecking her girlfriend’s nose.

“This just got cheesier.” Chloe rolled her eyes with a smile.

The brunette stuck her tongue out. “Alright, I think we should head back.”

“Yeah.” The redhead nodded. “I feel tired.”

“Yep, we’re going.” Beca laughed as she got up, pulling Chloe to her feet. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” The redhead smiled before pecking her girlfriend’s lips again, feeling lighter and happier than she had in a  _ long, long _ while. 


	22. Roses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends :) Enjoy a new chapter. I'm sorry you have to wait so long for an update, I know it sucks! But sometimes, you can't prevent life getting in the way of your plans. We can try our best to go back into a steady rhythm :D

After driving back in comfortable silence, the two girls were spooning on the couch, snacking on a bowl filled with watermelon. Beca smiled softly at her girlfriend, who was snuggled up to her with her new stuffed animal, Larry, pressed against her chest, her arms wrapped comfortably around him. She watched as the redhead plopped a piece of watermelon into her mouth, looking at the TV absentmindedly. Grinning, the brunette nuzzled her nose against Chloe's cheek from behind. "You're amazing, you know that?"

“Hmm?” The redhead replied, her eyes still trained on the screen.

Beca smiled. “I’m just really proud of you.”

Chloe looked up."Really?" She said, looking very confused. "I feel like I'm still at the bottom, you know? Like...weak and small. Easy to break. I have a long time to go before-"

"Hey, hey, Chloe." Beca cupped her girlfriend’s cheeks, successfully shutting her up. "You're literally the greatest and strongest person I know. Back in college you were the backbone of the Bellas. You didn't break, even when everything else did. You kept your head high and helped to get the Bellas back together. That girl from college is still in you. At work, for example, when you didn't back down from Claire. That was you. Not someone else. You did that. You got the benefit concert going." She smiled. "If there is one thing you're not, it's weak." She stroked the redhead's cheek with her thumb. "And of course you’re not better yet, fully anyway. You can't be expected to do everything well on the first try and heal immediately. Everybody starts out small, and things take time."

Chloe cheeks scrunched up in a smile. "You're right." She said. "Seriously, where would I be without you?"

"Floating in space." The other girl shrugged.

The redhead smiled and snuggled closer to the brunette, pressing her butt against her. She pressed a sloppy kiss onto Larry’s soft snout, hiding her face in his velvety fabric.

"Oh, okay. I am starting to feel ditched by Larry." Beca pouted as she watched her girlfriend intently. "I might write a song about this."

Chloe smirked. "Well, maybe you should!" She said. She turned around and laid her head on Beca's shoulder, Larry still in her arms as she watched the screen.

"Don't challenge me, Beale." The brunette chuckled. They watched TV in silence, Beca occasionally stroking through Chloe's hair absentmindedly.

The redhead yawned as Beca's hands combed through her curls. She snuggled into the brunette, closing her eyes contently. Not soon after, she fell asleep.

"How can you fall asleep so quickly?" The brunette whispered, shaking her head."I really want to rip Larry out of your arms." She confessed quietly. "But I'm a good girlfriend so I'm not going to."

After a while, Chloe moaned softly in her sleep, grabbing hold of the hem of Beca's shirt in her fist.

The smaller girl raised an eyebrow. "What are you dreaming about, huh?" She said softly, running her finger over her girlfriend's cheek.

The redhead’'s eyebrows furrowed. "I am not getting rid of that..." She mumbled in her sleep.

"Getting rid of what?" Beca chuckled.

"You get rid of the fucking spider! Like, he's hairy. No!" Chloe mumbled, looking angry for some reason. She suddenly gasped. "Oh my god, he's wearing shoes..."

The brunette giggled. "Cowboy boots?"

Chloe’s face turned even more confused. "What the fuck are you doing?" She mumbled. Her hand was clutching Beca's shirt in her first angrily.

"I really wish I could look inside your head." Beca snickered, trying not to wake the redhead.

Chloe's breathing became slower again and her features softened. As she loosened her grip on Beca's shirt, her mouth slightly opened.

"Noooo! I wanted to know if the spider wore cowboy boots!" Beca pouted.

Chloe's hands moved, gliding over the brunette’s chest until she cupped Beca's right breast. "Nice..." She mumbled, before dropping her hand again, folding it underneath her face.

Beca snorted. "Okay. Why not." She noticed a feather popping out of one of the couch pillows, and pulled it out. Mischievously, she smirked at her girlfriend and softly wriggled the white feather underneath her nose.

Eventually, Chloe's eyes crunched up and she sneezed, scaring herself awake.

"Whatthe-" She whispered, looking around confusedly.

Beca was full on laughing now, slapping her leg. "You're so fucking funny."

The redhead looked up at the brunette with confused, sleepy eyes. "What do you mean? What just happened?”

"You were mumbling about a spider with shoes and gripping my shirt angrily." The smaller girl giggled. "And then you grabbed my boob and said "Nice.""

The redhead’s eyes widened and she blushed. "Sorry..." She said, chuckling embarrassedly. "Your boobs are nice though..."

"Why, thank you." Beca smirked. "Yours are quite well formed as well."

"Thanks, I grew them myself." Chloe replied, looking proud.

The brunette snorted, shaking her head. "Weirdo."

The taller girl giggled, cuddling into Beca. "I can't believe I talked to you in my sleep..." She mumbled. She rested her chin on the brunette’s shoulder, closing her eyes.

"I want to continue doing that." The other girl laughed. "It was quite entertaining."

Chloe blushed. "Don't abuse it" She whispered.

"Okay, okay." Beca smiled, raising her hands in defense.

The redhead stretched and yawned, her shirt slightly riling up. "Can we go to bed now?" She mumbled, blinking sleepily.

"Of course." The brunette replied, turning off the TV. She pushed Chloe off her lap before standing up and extending a hand to help her girlfriend up.

The redhead gingerly grabbed it and took Larry in her arms as Beca pulled her along to the bedroom. As the brunette closed the curtains, Chloe slipped out of her clothes, not bothering to put anything on except for panties. Leaving her clothes in a pile on the edge of the bed, she dove into it, pulling the duvet over her exposed chest and letting out a happy sigh. 

"Well okay." Beca muttered as she stripped down as well, throwing on an oversized flannel. She went into bed, snuggling up to the redhead from behind. She watched as Chloe intertwined their hands, their fingers lacing together perfectly. 

“Hey Becs?” The taller girl spoke up after a while, sleep evident in her voice.

“Hmmm?” 

Chloe turned around to face her girlfriend. “Thank you for taking me on a date today. I had the best day.” She locked her eyes with Beca’s blue ones. 

“Y-You’re welcome.” The brunette replied, getting slightly flustered because of the way Chloe was looking at her. She leant forwards and pressed her lips onto the redhead’s, wrapping her arms around her. 

“I love you.” Chloe whispered against her lips, her eyes closing again. 

Beca felt her heart grew about ten sizes. “I love you too.” She whispered back, but noticed that the redhead had already fallen asleep, breathing softly against her cheek. She pulled Chloe closer, smiling into the redhead's hair before pressing a soft kiss against it. She truly couldn't believe that after 11 years she could finally call the beautiful girl in her arms hers. She eventually fell asleep as well, a smile on her face.

 

Through the entire night, Chloe and Beca slept silently, their limbs tangled together. The redhead woke up first, groaning as she checked the alarm on Beca's bedside table, which told her it was 7 am. The brunette next to her was still breathing heavily, her arms stretched out over the mattress. Chloe thought about going back to sleep but then she got an idea. A sly grin formed on her lips and she slipped out of bed, stretching her arms above her head tiredly. She walked into the kitchen, putting on the white apron Beca kept there to protect her still naked upper body from any oil splatters. Opening the fridge, she scanned the many ingredients stored inside. Deciding to make some pancakes for breakfast, she grabbed the milk, eggs and blueberries and started working, as silently as she could. 

Beca woke up when her alarm went off at 7:30, groaning as she shut it off. "Good morning." She mumbled, feeling around for her girlfriend. When she opened her eyes however, there was no redhead in sight. Beca pouted but figured Chloe had probably gone to the bathroom or something. That's when the smell of something amazing hit her. She raised both eyebrows, rolling out of bed and walking into the kitchen. What she saw there made her jaw drop. Admittedly, Chloe had made a little of a mess in the kitchen, but that didn’t even matter. As Beca stared at the redhead, who stood at the stove, a plate filled with pancakes next to her, she couldn’t help but smile. The apron she was wearing barely covered her naked back and the brunette swallowed heavily at the sight of the redhead’s milky skin “Chloe..." She whispered softly, a blush evident on her cheeks.

Chloe was staring at a sizzling pancake in the pan intently when she heard Beca's voice, making her turn around. "Good morning!" She said with a big smile.

"Holy shit." Beca couldn't decide where to look first. "You... Wow." She said, walking over. "I... Fuck. I'm speechless." She chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed. 

The redhead giggled. "Well, you've been taking such good care of me, I thought it would only be fair to return the favor." She said, casually flipping the pancake over in the meantime.

The brunette stared at her girlfriend. While she was really touched at the gesture, she couldn't help but feel so turned on right now. That apron plus Chloe's naked body where doing things to her. She bit her lip. "Thank you." She said, her voice somewhat steady.

The taller girl smiled sweetly. "Go sit down. I'll get you a plate!" She said, oblivious to Beca's reaction to the way she was dressed. She leaned up on her toes to reach the shelve that held the plates, placing her hands on the counter for support.

Beca couldn't move. All she could do was stare at Chloe's side breast and the way her slight abs showed. Her eyes fell onto the redhead's neck, how it was conveniently exposed. She didn't know what to do, so she just stood there. 

The redhead grabbed the plates, putting them on the dinner table. She looked at Beca, who was still standing in the doorway. "Jeez, sit down, weirdo." She said, walking over to Beca and grabbing her wrist, pulling her along to the table and plopping her down on a chair. She grabbed the plate of pancakes and put them on the table, pulling off the foil which kept them warm. Grabbing some forks, she shut the drawer with a shake of her hips.

Beca couldn't form words. She kept staring between the pancakes and Chloe, the arousal leaving her unable to function. She didn't know how, but she somehow managed to pick up her knife and her fork, successfully cutting off a piece. But then she froze again when the redhead leaned forward, the apron being much more revealing than the brunette had anticipated.

Chloe stared at her girlfriend with raised eyebrows. "Are you okay?" She asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course." Beca blushed furiously as she started eating again. "Peachy.”

The redhead giggled . She sat down as well and grabbed her fork, plopping a piece of pancake into her mouth. "I slept great last night. You?" She pointed her fork at Beca for effect.

"Yeah. Though I did get Larry in my face. That was so uncalled for." The brunette rolled her eyes.

The taller girl smirked. "He's a very good cuddler." She said, taking another bite of the blueberry pancake in front of her.

"I will fucking write a song. I swear." Beca pouted.

Chloe laughed and leaned her chin on her hand. "It's kind of cute when you're jealous. But our relationship is just platonic, don't worry." She said with a smile.

"But I'd like to cuddle you too you know. More than Larry." Beca said sadly.

The redhead pouted. "Aw, I'm sorry. Tonight, he'll sleep on the couch, okay?" She said with a sweet smile. "You can have me all for yourself."

"Yay." Beca smiled and leaned forward, kissing her girlfriend on the lips softly.

Chloe smiled into the kiss and winked at Beca when they pulled back. "How are the pancakes?"

"Not the only things I love and want to eat in this room." The brunette muttered.

"Well, that's a highly appropriate thing to say during breakfast..." The redhead replied with a knowing smirk.

Beca swallowed angrily. "Can I help it when you're basically naked, that apron not really covering you properly? That’s literally my weakness!” 

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Wait, that's why you were freaking out before? You're literally just super horny right now?" She said, leaning forward, her smirk widening.

"Chloe, I swear if you take advantage of this I will murder you. And Larry." The brunette warned.

The redhead shrugged innocently. She plopped another piece of pancake in her mouth, finishing her plate. As she got up to drop her plate off in the kitchen sink, she saw Beca forking up her pancakes silently. She approached her girlfriend from behind and leaned in, pressing her body flush against Beca's back. She felt the brunette freeze and grinned as she moved her lips right next to her ear. "I would never, ever take advantage of a situation like this." She whispered.

"You literally are right now, you bitch!" Beca chuckled nervously.  A bright blush was tinting her cheeks. "This makes me have a flashback to the message I sent to you as a dare." Her voice was barely above a whisper now. "I meant it."

"Prove it, then" The redhead replied, her arms moving down the brunette’s chest.

"You're going to make us late for work. We still need to shower." Beca whimpered, swallowing down the reawoken arousal. Chloe's hands were teasingly running along her sides, stopping right before the brunette's boobs before she moved her hands away again.

Chloe enjoyed teasing her girlfriend like this. She smiled as she softly nibbled on the brunette’s earlobe, biting down. "Take a shower with me then.” 

That was all Beca needed and she hurriedly got up, grabbing her girlfriend's wrist. She angrily pulled her along towards the bathroom, yanking the apron off of her and pushing her underwear down. “Get in!” She growled, and Chloe happily obliged. 

Turning on the shower, Beca stripped down as well and joined the redhead, pushing her against the wall as she attacked her neck with angry kisses. 

 

A while later, both girls were freshly showered as they drove to work, a little later than Beca would have wanted. She grumbled angrily at the red light that for some reason refused to become green.

“Becs?” Chloe whispered softly, making the brunette look up.

“What?” She snapped.

“I’m sorry….” The redhead replied. “I didn’t intend to make us late…”

Beca’s face softened. “It’s fine. It’s not like I also participated…” She thought back to her head between Chloe’s legs and swallowed heavily. 

“I’ll try to time it better. Okay?” Chloe smiled softly. 

“That’d be nice.” The brunete replied, chuckling. “Though I don’t want to become that kind of lesbian couple that plans their sex.” 

The redhead hummed. “There are couples like that?” 

Beca shrugged. “Probably.” She pressed the gas as the light finally turned green, the scenery of a early morning LA whizzing past them.

“Did you at least like my pancakes?” Chloe asked after a while, seemingly still bothered.

“Chlo, I loved them. And I love you.” The brunette replied as she came to a halt in front of the clinic. "Now, out with you before you're too late!"

The redhead smiled brightly. "Okay! Have fun today. I'll text you!” She said, kissing the brunette quickly before exiting the car. She waved at Beca who honked at her as she drove off, and turned to go inside.

Alice looked up as the door opened. "Good morning Chloe." She smiled. "How was your morning?"

Chloe smiled back. "Good morning! My morning was...uhm...uneventful" She said, smirking innocently. "I'm sorry I'm a little late."

"Ah, your makeup seems to be a bit smudged. Probably slept in on accident and then rushed to get here, huh?" Alice smiled. 

“Something like that…” The redhead replied, nodding.

The other girl grinned. "Go fix yourself up before you go see Sam okay?" She winked at her colleague. 

"Yeah. Thanks Alice. You're the best!" The redhead blew her coworker a kiss as she ran into the bathroom to fix her makeup. She applied some lipgloss and fixed her eyeliner, brushing her fingers through her ruffled hair so she was somewhat presentable. She winked at Alice as she made her way over to Sam's office, knocking on the door. 

"Come in!" Sam replied. She smiled as Chloe opened the door. "Good morning Chloe. Ready to take on the day?"

Chloe nodded. "So ready!" She said, clenching her fist. "So what's the plan for today?"

"You'll just be taking care of the animals coming in. I also want you to start training Olive to open up more and to be a good dog." Sam thought aloud. "And maybe you could start on printing out and hanging up flyers so we might find Olive a loving home. It would help you with the training if you got her used to her future owner."

Chloe nodded, taking notes of all the things to do on a small post it. When Sam raised her eyebrows at her, she smiled. "I like to write things down. Clears my head." She explained as she carefully folded up the note and put it in her back pocket. "I'll check with Alice when there's an appointment coming in. Are you sure you can trust me by doing it alone? I would feel more comfortable if someone was with me for the first time. I still don't know where all the stuff is in the cabinets" She said, crossing her arms. “It would be a bit awkward if I grabbed the wrong medicine or something.” 

"Sure, ask Bernie or Luke. They surely would want to help." Sam smiled. "That's it."

The redhead smiled brightly. "Thanks Sam. You're awesome" She winked at the blonde. As she left her office, the blonde waved lazily at her, sipping her coffee. Chloe smiled softly as she walked up to Alice’s counter.. "Hey! Sam told me to check with you when the next patient is coming in." She said, leaning on the counter.

"For that you have to pay me a fifty." Alice replied with a poker face, her eyes trained on her computer screen. When she saw Chloe's taken aback expression, she chuckled. "I'm kidding. The next patients are 9:15, 9:45 and 10:15. A cat and two dogs. The cat needs its cast taken off and the one dog won't eat anymore and the other has problems walking." Alice replied, reading it off her screen. "And I believe patient number one just arrived."

Both looked at the ringing doorbell, announcing a girl in her twenty something walking in, holding a travel cage. She smiled at the two women at the counter before sitting down in the waiting room. The smaller redhead eyed her nervously and then motioned to Alice that she'd be right back. She hurried into the meeting room and saw Bernie sipping a coffee tiredly. "I need your help." She said frantically, grabbing his arm and tugging on it.

"Okay." He said, taken aback but smiling. "With what?"

Chloe swallowed nervously. "My first patient. Sam told me you would help. You will, right?"

"Oh yeah, of course!" Bernie's eyes lit up. "Bring the patient in and we can get going."

The redhead nodded as Bernie quickly went to prepare the room. She ran back towards Alice, who was chatting to the black haired girl. She had put the cage containing her cat on the counter. "Uhm..hello." Chloe carefully said, approaching the two. 

The black haired girl looked up and smiled. “Hi!”

"I'm Chloe. Me and my colleague will help you today. So if you'd just follow me..." The redhead continued, smiling awkwardly. The woman nodded and waved goodbye to Alice, taking the cage with her. Chloe pointed towards the treatment room, her finger shaking slightly. "There's where we go in." She whispered and let the girl enter before closing the door behind her softly.

"Hello." Bernie smiled. "Oskar right?" He said as he opened the cage. "You're finally getting your cast off buddy!" He cooed as he got the cat out and put him on the table.

Chloe stood back a little awkwardly, but her eyes widened as the small black and white cat appeared on the table. She tiptoed forward, standing next to her male colleague. "Hello Oskar." She whispered softly, leaning down to pet him. Oskar looked at her curiously before he meowed. 

"Well, let's get to it then huh?" Bernie asked smiling. He shook on his lab coat and put on some plastic gloves. The redhead smiled as Oskar sniffed her hand curiously. She gently stroked his head, scratching his chin. 

Bernie got a pair of cast scissors from a drawer, placing them on the counter. “Alright, Chlo. If you hold him down, I’ll cut them off. Make sure he doesn’t move, because I don’t want to accidentally cut him.” He chuckled.

Chloe nodded and held the cat down, her one hand grabbing into his scruff and the other placed on his leg. She watched as her colleague cut the cast off carefully, revealing the small black leg. "Good job, bud.” The redhead whispered as Oskar meowed softly in protest.

When the cast was completely gone, it was thrown it away into the trash. "Alright, let's see if it healed correctly." Bernie said. As Chloe moved aside, he began feeling Oskar's leg, occasionally bending it to check if the cat was somehow hurt. "All good." He said, smiling. "Next time you shouldn't try to jump off a slippery counter." Chuckling, he ruffled over Oskar's head.

The redhead smiled kindly as the brunette gently urged the cat back into the cage. The black haired owner looked at her a little weird, and she felt very self conscious about it. She realised that maybe she recognised her as Beca’s girlfriend and wondered if she had read the news articles the brunette mentioned. Sighing softly, she walked the girl back to Alice, who helped her as she paid for the treatment. Chloe stood back a little and waved as the woman walked out. When the door closer, she leaned against Alice's counter, staring out of the window. "She asked if you were Beca Mitchell's girlfriend." The taller redhead said after a while. Chloe nodded, her suspicions being confirmed. "She looked at me so weird, I thought there was something on my face or something."

"Well, if you keep this up our clinic is gonna be overflowing with people trying to meet you, or more importantly, Beca. I swear our last appointment is always gonna be gone first, in the hopes that they might see her." Alice rolled her eyes. "Can't they just sit back and relax? You're humans too."

Chloe had to giggle. "Well, that's high coming from the girl who literally nearly fainted when she saw her for the first time."

"Shush." Alice grinned, embarrassed. "Get to patient number two." She said, motioning towards the waiting room.

 

The redhead nodded, and smiled at the tall guy sitting in a chair, reading a magazine. A shaggy and old looking golden retriever laid at his feet. The dog was panting rather loudly and coughing every now and then. The redhead greeted them."Hi, come with me please. I'm Chloe." she said, feeling a little more confident already. As the guy followed her inside the treatment room, she closed the door behind them, looking over at Bernie who was typing on the computer.

"Sit." The guy told the dog which gladly obeyed, lying down on the floor. "I don't know what's wrong with my baby girl." He started. "She won't eat, and if she does, it's only a little bit. Lately she also barely moves anymore. Only for walks and occasional trips to the water bowl. And she’s panting so much...and coughing. I’m really worried."

Chloe looked at the dog, who looked up at her sadly. Bernie moved away from his computer and kneeled down next to her, stroking her head. "How long has this been going on?" Chloe asked, leaning back against the counter.

"A few days." The guy replied sadly. He had bags under his eyes and his stare was concerned.

The redhead bit her lip in thought. "Do you know if something happened that caused this?" She asked, crossing her arms. Bernie looked up at her, glad she was asking questions and not melting away into the background.

"No, it was all so sudden. She was fine the day before, and the next she just decreased with the energy she had and all that..." The owner sighed. "Do you think she's... dying?" He choked out.

Chloe swallowed. "Well...how old is she?" She said, a bad feeling creeping up on her.

"15." He replied, looking at his dog sadly. The dog looked up at him, slowly standing up before bumping her head against his outstretched hand. He patted her, smiling softly.

Nodding, the redhead sighed and pushed herself off from the counter. "Let's get her up on the table. We'll check her out, see if there's anything wrong." She said, swallowing heavily. She pressed her hand on the guy's shoulder supportively.

Bernie lifted the dog up to the table, lying her down. He patted her head carefully, feeling the heavy tension in the room.

They did some basic checks, and found her heart was beating rather slowly. 

Bernie took off his stethoscope. “We’ll have to do an ultrasound. I wanna look at her heart.”

The guy nodded and they prepared everything for the ultrasound, Chloe guiding her colleague along.  

Bernie stared at the screen while the redhead controlled the device. She saw her colleague swallow heavily and watched the screen as well, feeling her breathing quicken as she saw how enlarged the dogs heart chambers were. 

“What is it?” The owner asked worriedly. 

The redhead bit her lip as she dropped the device back into its holder. "It seems...her heart is failing. Normally, we could give her medicine for it...but it’s too late. Congestive Heart failure is almost untreatable in older dogs...We could operate...but there’s a big chance she won’t wake up...and...She’ll be in a lot of pain.”

“I don’t want that.” The owner shook his head resolutely. 

Chloe sighed. “We can give her some pain medications, but there’s nothing else we can do for her." She said, feeling a tug at her heart.

"How... How long does she have?" The guy asked softly.

"I'd say...a few more days. " Chloe replied carefully.

The guy looked shocked and taken aback. He looked at his dog which seemed to feel his pain and bumped her head against his hand again, trying to show him that it was all okay. Sadly, he patted the dog's head. "Would she die peacefully or.." He took a deep breath. “Would it hurt?”

Chloe bit her lip. "She looks like she's okay now, but what's going to happen to her cannot be predicted. She could be in a lot of pain in a few days. Her organs are slowly giving up. They’re not getting enough blood pumped through them. It's your decision." Her blue eyes connected with his supportively.

The guy crouched down so he was at eye level with his dog. "Oh Rosie.. I don't want to put you through any more pain." The dog quietly yawned. “What are my options?” He asked Chloe carefully.

“We can euthanize her. She won’t feel a thing.” The redhead replied softly.

Taking a deep sigh, the owner got up and nodded. “Okay.” 

Bernie quietly pressed a button that signified the waiting room that someone was saying goodbye so they were to be quiet and show respect. Clearing his throat, he left the room, as he wasn’t trained to do this. Chloe stayed behind, watching the guy crouch down again, his face close to the dog’s.

"I love you baby girl. It has been a great 15 years." The guy let a tear fall which Rosie licked up. "You were the best dog anyone could wish for. I'm gonna miss you so much." He wrapped an arm around the dog, putting his head on hers. "We'll see each other again right?" Rosie softly wagged her tail.

Chloe felt a lump in her throat as put on her blue gloves and she prepared the liquid that would make the dog fall asleep permanently. 

She hated this part of her job, but realised it was needed as it prevented a lot of suffering. She tapped the needle so the air would come out and turned around, approaching the table. The owner looked up at her with scared eyes. "Take as long as you like. Just give me a sign when you're ready." She said in a soft voice.

The guy looked at Rosie. "Give me one last high five?" He asked, raising his hand. The dog obeyed, softly barking before licking up the tears that were running down from the man's face. He hugged her really tight, hiding his face in his soft fur before signaling with his hand that he was ready. As Chloe injected the liquid, he gently stroked Rosie. "Goodbye, my angel." He whispered softly as he felt his dog releasing its last breath.

 

Chloe swallowed heavily, placing her hand on the guy's shoulder supportively. "She's in a better place now." She whispered softly before moving away from him. “Take as long as you need.” She said before closing the door to the treatment room softly. They let the owner take his time to say goodbye and arranged the papers he needed. When he came out of the treatment room, his eyes red from crying, Bernie offered him a coffee before he brought the dog over to a kennel for keepsake. After going over his options, the owner decided he would have her cremated and the ashes returned to him. Chloe went back into the room, cleaning off the needle and other equipment. The lump in her throat had grown out and she felt really sad. As she washed her hands, feeling tears burn in her eyes, she clenched her jaw. This was not professional behaviour. Wiping her eyes hurriedly, she returned to Alice, who was browsing the web with a smile on her face.

The secretary saw movement in the corner of her eye and turned her head. "Hey, how are you holding up? I saw the light was turned on." She asked softly.

Chloe shrugged sadly. "It's really hard. Didn't expect it to hit so close to home. Guess I've been out of the game for too long." She confessed quietly, placing her head on the arms as she leaned on the counter.

"I can imagine." The redhead replied sympathetically, squeezing Chloe's hand. "But sadly there's no time for wallowing, your next patient is here."

Chloe nodded understandingly and pushed herself off from the counter. 

Whirling around, she greeted the elderly couple coming in with a smile. "Hello! Come in." She exclaimed. She noticed the tiny white fluffy dog that the husband was holding in his arms and bowed down. "Who are you, little lady?" She said, smiling.

"That's Princess Karina." The old man replied. He had a slight British accent.

“My, you look pretty!" The old woman commented, eyeing the redhead with a sly smile.

Chloe smiled brightly. "Thanks, ma'am." She said, bowing her head. "I'm Chloe. Please follow me." She started walking towards the treatment room again, straightening her back when she remembered what just took place there. Bernie looked up as she came in, and she could see in his face that he had been touched by Rosie's death as well. "I've got Princess Karina for you here." She announced, smiling at him.

"Princess Karina huh?" He chuckled. "You do look like a royal dog." 

"Why yes, it is a very expensive breed." The old man smiled.

Chloe grinned as she let Bernie handle the talking this time. She watched as he placed the dog on the table to examine her.

"So what's up with her?" He asked, his hands on the dog’s back. 

"She has a little trouble walking lately. We think it's her back left leg, she doesn't want to stand on it." The old man explained, looking seriously distraught at his pet’s state. 

"Hm." Bernie hummed. "Chloe, could you hold her while I check on her?" His kind eyes flicked over to his redheaded colleague. 

 

The couple stood back, watching as Bernie and Chloe did their job.  After examining her, they found out that Princess Karina had torn a muscle in her leg and had to be operated to prevent her from suffering permanent damage. "We could operate her later today and you could get her back at 5 pm." Bernie offered, seemingly wanting to get the job done a soon as possible.

“As long as you handle her with care, young man!" The male owner warned and Bernie nodded reassuringly, a smile playing at his lips. After the couple said their goodbyes to their pet, leaving her behind in Bernie’s care, Chloe walked them out. 

"Say, is that young man your partner? He is quite some eye candy." The old woman whispered to the redhead as they walked down the hallway towards the entrance.

Chloe smirked at the woman’s noisiness. "No, he's not. He's very handsome though." She said, smiling sweetly. 

As the old man talked to Alice and arranged when to come back from their dog, Chloe looked around the waiting room a little awkwardly. 

"Do you have a boyfriend, dear?" The old woman spoke up again, scaring the redhead from her thoughts. She cleared her throat nervously, not really knowing what would be the right thing to say in this situation. "I don't. I have...I have a girlfriend though." She answered, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. 

The woman's smile brightened. "Oh, how delightful! Our daughter has been with her partner for over 20 years now. They adopted a son and he's already in high school!" She chatted away happily, and Chloe let out a relieved sigh. That went better than expected. 

The old man interrupted his wife, grabbing her arm. "Come on dear, we need to meet up with Al Gore. Goodbye lovely ladies." The old man said, shooting both women a wink. 

The wife narrowed her eyes but nodded. "Of course honey. Goodbye Chloe, it was nice meeting you."

 

After the couple strutted out, Alice immediately whirled around. "Heard you outed yourself." She looked intently at her colleague.

Chloe smiled at the other redhead. "Well, I can hardly lie. That wouldn't feel right." She said, leaning against the wall, trying to appear casual. "God, I'm already so tired and it's not even lunch yet. I really wasn’t prepared for this."

“Aw…” Alice smiled sympathetically, but immediately went into business mode. "Well, I heard you have to operate on the dog so I suggest you either do it now until lunch or you cut lunch short and operate on her then."

The shorter redhead nodded and stifled a yawn. She pushed herself off the wall tiredly. "Going, boss." She said, holding up a mock salute before walking over to the meeting room. Luke was looking outside the window while sipping a coffee. "Morning, Luke." She greeted her coworker, grabbing a much needed cup herself.

"Good morning." He smiled back. "How are you doing?"

Chloe sipped her coffee tiredly. "To be honest? It's a lot." She admitted, resting her head against the wall.

"I can imagine." He smiled softly. "Did you ask Beca yet? About Friday?"

The redhead nodded. "She said she'd love to come. We'll be there." Her face cleared up a bit. "It will be the first time for me to go out in a long while."

"That's great! I'll be sure to get you into the VIP area!" Luke grinned happily, proudly even. "I'll play the best of the best, so you can really get moving” 

Chloe shook her hips. "I'm good at that." She said with a wink.

"My gig's at the Golden Bull. Starts at 9." Luke replied.

“I have no idea where that is, but I’m sure Beca does.” Chloe smiled goofily. "I'm glad I ran into you here, but I have to do an operation now. See you later." She finished her cup and waved at Luke before exiting the room.

"Bye!" He waved back, looking a little taken aback.

 

Chloe yawned as she opened the door to the operation room. She turned on the surgery lights and prepared everything for the procedure on Princess Karina’s leg. Bernie joined her not soon after, handing her a lab coat. "I'll go get her." The redhead said with a smile after shrugging the coat on and went to retrieve the dog from the kennels. She came back with her in her arms, gently placing her on the operation table. They applied the anaesthesia in her leg and waited for her to fall asleep. Silence filled the room and Chloe stroked the dog absentmindedly. Her eyes looked puffy and her face tired.

"Are you okay?" Bernie asked as they began working on the dog. "I have problems dealing with putting down animals, and talking always helps."

The redhead nodded. "I guess his emotions just really affected me. I used to be able to close my heart off to it, but I guess I kinda lost that talent. " She took a deep breath as her hands started shaking.

"It's okay to not be able to. We’re humans too, not soulless machines." Bernie smiled supportively "And once you've been here for a month or so you will get back into it, I'm sure. But if you feel like you can't handle it we're there for you. You're always allowed to excuse yourself."

Chloe sighed, nodding and dropped the scalpel she was holding, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm sorry." She whispered, letting her fingers run over her upper arms.

"Hey, it's okay." Bernie said and walked over to put a hand on her shoulder. "Nobody expects you to be strong all the time." He pulled her into an awkward sideway hug. 

The redhead put her chin on her colleague's shoulder, sniffing. "Thanks, Bernie." She said, her voice wavering.

"No problem. Let's help this dog and then eat lunch." Bernie smiled and after Chloe had calmed down they continued with the surgery. They made sure the dog was stable and safe before they walked out to get lunch. Alice approached them immediately, her smile seeming to light up the entire room. "Good work on your surgery!" She gave Chloe a thumbs up. 

The taller girl smiled tiredly and nodded. “Here’s your lunch!” Alice had brought them sandwiches and handed both of her colleagues a bag. They went over to the lunch room and Chloe sat down, biting into a chicken tomato sandwich while holding it with two hands. Everyone was there, except for Sam.

"God, I love these sandwiches. I always love Sandwich Wednesday." Alice moaned as she moved on to her second sandwich already. 

"Yeah, you also inhale them like a vacuum cleaner. You gotta let their taste linger in your mouth for a little before swallowing it." Luke commented.

"What? I can't hear you, my vacuum is too loud!" Alice cupped her ear jokingly and Bernie laughed.

Chloe chuckled as she nibbled on her sandwich. She realised how much she already loved all of them. She was too tired to really make conversation, but her colleagues didn’t seem to mind. They just ate and made small talk, laughing every now and then.

"Hey Chloe, Sam told me you’re planning on training Olive today?" Bernie asked after a while.

Chloe nodded, a bit of life returning to her. "I'll take her to the training room. First I'll have to see if she will walk on a leash though."

"Sounds good." Bernie smiled. “If you need help, I’m here.”

“Thanks Bernie.” The redhead shot her colleague a sweet smile before taking another bite from her sandwich.


End file.
